Ultrasonic Bone Densitometer 'LIAQUS Portable' Receives Encouragement Award at the 38th Excellent New Technology/New Product Award for Small and Medium Enterprises
Nippon Sigmax's compact and lightweight ultrasonic bone densitometer, 'LIAQUS Portable,' received an Encouragement Award at the 38th Excellent New Technology/New Product Award for Small and Medium Enterprises. This aims to contribute to early detection of osteoporosis and extend healthy life expectancy.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 24, 2026 at 11:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 25, 2026 at 02:20 (14h 48m after Collected)
Nippon Sigmax Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yosuke Suzuki) has received an Encouragement Award in the General Category at the "38th Excellent New Technology/New Product Award for Small and Medium Enterprises," hosted by the Resona Foundation for SME Promotion (hereinafter, Resona Foundation for SME Promotion) and Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun. The award was given to its compact, lightweight, and portable ultrasonic calcaneal bone densitometer FRS-100A, "LIAQUS Portable" (hereinafter, LIAQUS Portable), which can be used anywhere.
■ Overview of the Excellent New Technology/New Product Award for Small and Medium Enterprises
This award ceremony is held annually to promote technology among small and medium-sized enterprises and contribute to the development of Japanese industry. It is co-hosted by the Resona Foundation for SME Promotion and Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun.
Awards such as the Commissioner of the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency Award (General Category), the President of the Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation Award (Software Category), Excellence Award, Merit Award, and Encouragement Award are presented to outstanding new technologies and products after rigorous screening in two categories: "General Category" and "Software Category."
This award has been implemented since 1988, with a total of 12,373 applications over the past 38 times, recognizing 1,239 works.
■ Features of LIAQUS Portable
This product is a portable ultrasonic bone densitometer that is compact, lightweight, and can be used anywhere. It has a built-in battery, allowing for approximately 6 hours of continuous operation even in environments without a power supply. It supports both AC power and battery operation, and its main unit weighs 2.3kg, making it portable. This enables osteoporosis screening not only within facilities but also during home visits and community health check-ups, regardless of location or scene. Furthermore, measurements can be easily completed within 10 seconds with a single button press.
These features have been well-received, and since its launch in June 2024, it has been adopted by internal medicine and home visit clinics, hospitals, educational and research institutions, and gynecological clinics. As of the end of January 2026, cumulative sales have exceeded 200 units.
▲Medical Device Certification Number: 305AHBZX00038000
■ Comment from LIAQUS Portable Development Manager, Yoshito Tsukahara
▲Development Manager Yoshito Tsukahara
LIAQUS Portable was developed with the aim of "realizing a society where everyone can easily know their bone condition." Fractures associated with osteoporosis significantly affect healthy life expectancy, but many people are unaware of their high osteoporosis risk, and the screening rate for bone density remains low.
With its compact, lightweight design and ease of measurement, this product has made bone density measurement possible in more locations, such as home visits and community health check-ups. Through its characteristics of "no time-consuming," "can be used anywhere," and "easy to use," we aim to help many people understand their bone condition and contribute to fracture prevention and extension of healthy life expectancy.
■ About LIAQUS Portable Development Episode
In June 2024, we launched "LIAQUS Portable," our first compact and lightweight ultrasonic bone densitometer. An interview article by members involved in the product's development, covering the seven years behind its creation and the social issues LIAQUS Portable aims to solve as a medical device, has been published.
LIAQUS Portable Development Episode
Details of LIAQUS Portable's development secrets and interviews with members are available here.
■ About Nippon Sigmax Co., Ltd. https://www.sigmax.co.jp/
Location: 1-24-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Founded: June 1, 1973
Capital: 90 million yen
President and CEO: Yosuke Suzuki
Number of employees: 246 (as of end of March 2025)
Sales: 14.37 billion yen (for the fiscal year ending March 2025)
Nippon Sigmax operates in the "Physical Activity Support Business*" domain, providing products and services related to people's bodies across a wide range of fields. Since its establishment, it has specialized in the "orthopedic field" within "healthcare," offering unique products such as various joint braces, external fixation materials like casts, rehabilitation-related products, icing systems for cooling therapy, and medical devices for treatment and diagnosis. In the "sports field," it has received high acclaim domestically and internationally, centered on the sports care and support brand 'ZAMST.' Furthermore, it is expanding the 'MEDIAID' brand products in areas such as "daily care" supporting daily life and "workers' care" supporting the bodies of workers.
*Physical Activity Support Business: A term coined by the company, referring to the business that supports people to lead healthier and more comfortable lives by providing products and services aimed at the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and maintenance/improvement of motor function disorders.
■ Overview of the Excellent New Technology/New Product Award for Small and Medium Enterprises
This award ceremony is held annually to promote technology among small and medium-sized enterprises and contribute to the development of Japanese industry. It is co-hosted by the Resona Foundation for SME Promotion and Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun.
Awards such as the Commissioner of the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency Award (General Category), the President of the Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation Award (Software Category), Excellence Award, Merit Award, and Encouragement Award are presented to outstanding new technologies and products after rigorous screening in two categories: "General Category" and "Software Category."
This award has been implemented since 1988, with a total of 12,373 applications over the past 38 times, recognizing 1,239 works.
■ Features of LIAQUS Portable
This product is a portable ultrasonic bone densitometer that is compact, lightweight, and can be used anywhere. It has a built-in battery, allowing for approximately 6 hours of continuous operation even in environments without a power supply. It supports both AC power and battery operation, and its main unit weighs 2.3kg, making it portable. This enables osteoporosis screening not only within facilities but also during home visits and community health check-ups, regardless of location or scene. Furthermore, measurements can be easily completed within 10 seconds with a single button press.
These features have been well-received, and since its launch in June 2024, it has been adopted by internal medicine and home visit clinics, hospitals, educational and research institutions, and gynecological clinics. As of the end of January 2026, cumulative sales have exceeded 200 units.
▲Medical Device Certification Number: 305AHBZX00038000
■ Comment from LIAQUS Portable Development Manager, Yoshito Tsukahara
▲Development Manager Yoshito Tsukahara
LIAQUS Portable was developed with the aim of "realizing a society where everyone can easily know their bone condition." Fractures associated with osteoporosis significantly affect healthy life expectancy, but many people are unaware of their high osteoporosis risk, and the screening rate for bone density remains low.
With its compact, lightweight design and ease of measurement, this product has made bone density measurement possible in more locations, such as home visits and community health check-ups. Through its characteristics of "no time-consuming," "can be used anywhere," and "easy to use," we aim to help many people understand their bone condition and contribute to fracture prevention and extension of healthy life expectancy.
■ About LIAQUS Portable Development Episode
In June 2024, we launched "LIAQUS Portable," our first compact and lightweight ultrasonic bone densitometer. An interview article by members involved in the product's development, covering the seven years behind its creation and the social issues LIAQUS Portable aims to solve as a medical device, has been published.
LIAQUS Portable Development Episode
Details of LIAQUS Portable's development secrets and interviews with members are available here.
■ About Nippon Sigmax Co., Ltd. https://www.sigmax.co.jp/
Location: 1-24-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Founded: June 1, 1973
Capital: 90 million yen
President and CEO: Yosuke Suzuki
Number of employees: 246 (as of end of March 2025)
Sales: 14.37 billion yen (for the fiscal year ending March 2025)
Nippon Sigmax operates in the "Physical Activity Support Business*" domain, providing products and services related to people's bodies across a wide range of fields. Since its establishment, it has specialized in the "orthopedic field" within "healthcare," offering unique products such as various joint braces, external fixation materials like casts, rehabilitation-related products, icing systems for cooling therapy, and medical devices for treatment and diagnosis. In the "sports field," it has received high acclaim domestically and internationally, centered on the sports care and support brand 'ZAMST.' Furthermore, it is expanding the 'MEDIAID' brand products in areas such as "daily care" supporting daily life and "workers' care" supporting the bodies of workers.
*Physical Activity Support Business: A term coined by the company, referring to the business that supports people to lead healthier and more comfortable lives by providing products and services aimed at the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and maintenance/improvement of motor function disorders.