Asako Matsumoto
Researcher, Yui Life Communication Laboratory

About me

In 1980, I was involved in a road accident on my way to junior high school. I suffered contusion of the brain stem, and became unable to show expression or use my voice, requiring total assistance. I was told by my brain surgeon, “There are very few cases like yours in the world.” I have communicated until now by operating all kinds of devices using a “head stick”, a self-help tool consisting of a stylus pen attached to my head.

I came out of hospital in 1982, and entered a nursing care facility in 1991. I began using a computer there, and this broadened my world and gave me confidence.

I began living alone in 2005, but it was determined that I did not need a service provider because I could give instructions using a computer. As a result, there were gaps between my understanding and that of the helpers dispatched to me, and so began a period of struggling to communicate with one another each day. 

How I came across Yubidenwa

I learned about Yubidenwa in 2012. I tried to improve exchanges with my helpers using Yubidenwa, which produces speech that is easily intelligible. When my helpers or I get frustrated, we chat using Yubidenwa to lighten the mood. I use the English I know to make requests, or have them teach me information in English, and so our conversation blossoms.

By carrying out the task of registering my words in Yubidenwa’s memory together with my helpers, it creates an opportunity for them to get to know me.

Relations with my helpers

Communication with my helpers looks so smooth that the company which provides my helpers ended up thinking that I could teach new helpers by myself, but the majority of helpers are not able to grow in the way that I hope. I also feel that it is a real shame when someone leaves.

However, I feel that if I keep a benevolent eye on them, without being afraid of mistakes, my helpers learn even as they make mistakes.

How I am now

When I went to a centre which carried out rehabilitation using the HAL robot suit (photo), standing up and moving wearing HAL made my circulation improve, and for the next few months after this experience, my whole body felt warm, as though I were constantly in a sauna. As I had begun to move my muscles, I started independent training at home, private-sector therapies, supplements, and dietary therapy (avoiding unsuitable foods), and gradually began to change. I felt as though it was finally time for me to recover.

I am also steadily finding better ways to use Yubidenwa, and can talk smoothly with first-time helpers. I now have a social worker with whom I can consult on various matters, so my relationships with helpers have also improved, and I am sleeping better. I am grateful to all my helpers.

My dreams for the future

I would like people to be able to aim to live in the locations and conditions they themselves want after they come out of hospital. I would like the helpers who are involved with enabling this lifestyle to feel good about and continue in their jobs. Having helpers make use of ICT is key to this.

Let’s say that my helper is unsure what to do when I cannot operate a device. I dream of their being able to call up Yubidenwa using Siri* and ask instructions from the device. There are many things that I want to do. 

*Siri is a voice assistant that helps users with operations simply by talking to their iPad or other Apple product.