Creating a World Where Dignity and Freedom Are Not Constrained by 'Aging'

We support 'April Dream,' an initiative to share dreams on April 1st. This press release is the dream of AOGU Inc. 'Creating a world where dignity and freedom are not constrained by aging.' Based on this vision, AOGU Inc. is developing 'AOGU Kokoro' (commonly known as 'Coco-chan'), a plush-toy-type AI partner for dementia care. Our Dream: A world where, even with dementia, a person can live as themselves until the very end. A world where families can continue to enjoy their own lives. That is AOGU's dream. The grandmother of our representative, Sakata, had Alzheimer's-type dementia. She would sit there, staring blankly outside, wringing her hands in discomfort, with nothing to do. Was that really the culmination of a life spent surviving the post-war era, meeting her grandfather, and raising three children? That question has remained with me. Has dementia care always been too tough for humans? A vast amount of research and practice has been conducted on communication methods for dementia care. Person-centered care, Humanitude, validation therapy. The 'ideal state' is already rich. However, to practice this daily, one must listen and empathize while working their imagination to understand words that are not immediately clear and stories repeated dozens of times a day. It has remained too tough for humans. Even care managers with over 20 years of experience say it is difficult to provide appropriate care when their own family members develop dementia. Our co-founder, Oshima, also realized while facing her mother's dementia that 'having knowledge and being able to execute it as a family member are completely different things.' AI supports daily life, allowing humans to focus on what only humans can do. 'Coco-chan,' developed by AOGU, is a plush-toy-type AI partner infused with deep insights into dementia care and warmth. In the form of a plush toy that can be touched intuitively, it blends naturally into daily life. It is an existence that creates rich time through casual daily conversations while staying close to each individual's life, personality, and preferences. By having AI support daily interactions, caregivers gain a little breathing room. When that room is created, the kindness and consideration that caregivers possess can be fully exerted. Humans can focus on what only humans can do, such as 'holding hands at the end.' That is the future we believe in. Choosing both the patient and the family. 'Which should be prioritized: the patient's wishes or the family's life?' This is a question often faced in dementia care. AOGU's answer is clear: Choose both. If the patient spends their time richly, the family's burden decreases. If the family has breathing room, the quality of care for the patient improves. We use technology to drive this positive cycle. Things built up over many years, days of laughter, days of tears, regrets, and loving someone. All of that is that person's life. Until the very end, we want them to live their life as themselves. The same goes for the family. We want them to continue to enjoy their lives. A world where dignity and freedom are not constrained by aging. Even at this moment, there are people wishing, 'It's too painful, but I really want to see my mother's smiling face again.' There are people who are disappointed, saying, 'There is no point in living like this.' There are people waiting all over Japan and the world. We believe there are things only Japan can do. Care that stays close to the subtleties of the heart. A culture that senses the other person's feelings and understands unspoken thoughts. When that delicacy is combined with AI, a 'Care with AI' unlike anything else in the world will be born. Delivering a world where dignity and freedom are not constrained by aging as quickly as possible. That is AOGU's dream.