“Koroyawa,” a mat designed to reduce the risk of fractures from falls, has raised 1.28 billion yen. But is it really possible for a mat to “become soft only when someone falls”?
About this episode
The episode discusses innovative health and safety initiatives, focusing on the Koroyawa mat and a partnership involving Pokémon GO.
The sources highlight two innovative health and safety initiatives: the development of Koroyawa shock-absorbing flooring and a public safety partnership involving Pokémon GO . Magic Shields has secured significant funding for their specialized mats that utilize mechanical metamaterials to stay firm during walking but turn soft to prevent fractures during a fall. This technology aims to reduce the massive social and medical costs associated with elderly bone injuries in Japan's aging society. Simultaneously, the sources describe a collaboration between Niantic and the Japan AED Foundation that integrates real-world AED locations into the mobile game as "PokéStops." By utilizing gamification , the project encourages players to subconsciously memorize the positions of life-saving equipment while they explore their cities. Together, these updates represent a trend of using cutting-edge engineering and augmented reality to address critical public health challenges.
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