Ayumi Ohnishi

Improving quality of life (QOL) is essential for wearable equipment that improves the five senses, such as eyeglasses and hearing aids. However, given that the five human senses adapt to the individual's level of day-to-day fatigue, it would be ideal to be able to control the extension of the senses according to various situations in daily life.

Ayumi Ohnishi is researching a system that uses wearable devices to routinely take measurements of the five senses so that it is possible to provide controls and services based on the individual's level of fatigue. Machine learning is applied to the multiple sets of data obtained through the wearable sensors in order to estimate the user's level of fatigue. Artificial intelligence (AI) is used to detect signs of fatigue, and the devices that improve the senses are adjusted so that the users are offered the same capabilities that they would have when they are at full health. Examples of smart wearable equipment for overcoming fatigue would be eyeglasses that automatically adjust brightness and clarity and hearing aids that automatically adjust the volume.

Ohnishi also strives to resolve power supply challenges that hinder widespread use of wearable devices. She is developing a system that is able to recognize action without the need for charging through the use of shoes that generate power from the act of walking.

Ohnishi's activities cover even more ground, including shoes with sensors and devices to measure the balance of pressure on the feet, motion analysis for household chores using technology for measuring an individual's skill level with regard to the chores, and motion analysis of boccia teams at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. She is a spirited young researcher who aims to resolve various issues in daily life through the advancement of wearable devices.