Aerology Labs' hybrid drone prototype, the AeroRange Pro.

Aerology Labs' hybrid drone prototype, the AeroRange Pro.

Aerology Lab (Minoh City, Osaka Prefecture) announced on April 14 that it has developed a prototype of a "purely Japanese" flying robot (drone), "AeroRange Pro" (photo), which consists entirely of parts made in Japan. In general, drones rely on parts made in China for most of their components. The company aims to start mass production in small lots by December. (Minato Ward, Osaka City), which operates an open innovation base, Kobashi Robotics (Minami Ward, Okayama City), which supports mass production, and Liberace (Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo), which comprehensively supports venture businesses from trial manufacture to mass production. The company is promoting speedy manufacturing in cooperation with town factories in Kansai and other regions. The hybrid drone combines an engine and an electric motor. It is said to be the industry's first purely domestic product in this field. Photo taken on May 14, 2020, location unknown, credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images

Shoe terminals (left) and magnetic clip terminals to be distributed at otta's services for the elderly

Shoe terminals (left) and magnetic clip terminals to be distributed at otta's services for the elderly

Otta will apply the know-how of its service for children to prevent dementia patients from going missing due to wandering. The service will first be offered in Minoh City, Osaka Prefecture, and is expected to be used by several hundred people in the first year. The service will be available at the city office. The terminals will be distributed mainly in the form of magnetic clips that can be wrapped around a staff or attached to shoes. The monthly fee for the service is expected to be several hundred yen. While the routes to and from school are fixed for children to some extent, it has been difficult for the elderly to read the range of their activities. The city of Minoh began a verification experiment in 2016 by distributing monitoring terminals to elementary and junior high school students, and in 2005 expanded the scope of the experiment to include the elderly. (Photo taken on August 2, 2019, location unknown, credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images)

New coronavirus

New coronavirus

A teacher gives an online lecture to students in Minoh, Osaka Prefecture, on April 20, 2020, as their school remains closed amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo