Towards zero accidents involving children left behind! Japan's first highly functional radar sensor that can detect children left behind on shuttle buses, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Machinery Systems, Ltd.'s "Mikke" now available for order at Macnica

Macnica (headquarters: Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture; Representative Director and President: Kazumasa Hara; hereinafter Macnica) has signed an agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Machinery Systems, Ltd. (headquarters: Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture; President and Board Director: Kojima Satoshi; hereinafter Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Machinery Systems) to begin handling the company's "Mikke," Japan's first ^{* 1} device to prevent passengers from being left behind on shuttle buses, which uses a high-performance radar sensor to detect when passengers are left behind on shuttle buses.

■Safety devices on shuttle buses will be required to be installed from April 2023. You will be eligible for subsidies.
In order to prevent tragic accidents in which infants die after being left behind on shuttle buses, the Cabinet Office and other related ministries established an emergency response meeting called the ``Children's Bus Transportation Safety Thorough Plan ^{* 2},'' which will be implemented on April 1, 2023. Since then, it has become compulsory to install safety equipment. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's guidelines ^{* 3}, two methods are officially approved: (1) confirmation method when getting off the vehicle, and (2) automatic detection method. ②The mainstream of automatic detection methods is detection using cameras, but cameras have the issue of being difficult to see depending on the situation and creating blind spots. "Mikke" handled by Macnica uses a radar sensor that can detect the minute movements of children, and has been confirmed to be highly functional and safer. Furthermore, "Mikke" has been approved as a product eligible for subsidies.

■Double-check type abandoned object detection system “Mikke” Features
・When getting off the vehicle, the driver is asked to check the inside of the vehicle, and the radar sensor automatically detects it.
・The radar sensor can detect minute movements even when hidden behind a seat or blanket.
・No images are taken, so there is no need to worry about infringement of privacy.

Double check type abandoned object detection system operation flow

* Radar sensor features
Radar sensor radio waves (centimeter waves) are permeable to various substances other than metals, and are less susceptible to obstacles. Thanks to its function, it is possible to detect people even if there is an obstacle in between.

■We want to maintain a safer life through mobility and smart cities. Macnica, the cutting edge technology
Macnica is Services & Solutions company with semiconductors and network security as its core. We help implement cutting-edge technologies such as autonomous driving, AI, and IoT in ways that are easy to use for people around us. To ensure that young children can safely enter and exit kindergarten every day, Macnica selected cutting-edge radar sensor technology, which uses semiconductors manufactured by Analog Devices, Inc., from among many options. In the future, we will promote sales so that it can be installed on autonomous driving EV buses that are being tested in many local governments.

■We will be exhibiting at the 2nd Childcare 2023 exhibition. We will be exhibiting "Mikke"
Macnica will be exhibiting at the "Childcare 2023 2nd Exhibition" to be held at the Knowledge Capital Congress Convention Center (in Grand Front Osaka) from Thursday, August 24, 2023. At the exhibition venue, we plan to exhibit the actual "Mikke" double-check abandoned child detection system and conduct demonstrations. *4 If you are considering an abandoned child prevention device for shuttle buses or would like to be interviewed, please come and visit us.

・ Venue: Knowledge Capital Congress Convention Center (in Grand Front Osaka)
・ Schedule: August 24th (Thursday) to 25th (Friday), 2023
・Time: 10:00-17:00
・Booth: No.14
・ URL: https://www.tvoe.co.jp/cc/

*1: For the first time as a guideline compliant product, we have adopted a domestic centimeter wave radar sensor.
*2: Cabinet Office website Children's bus transportation and safety thorough plan ~Emergency measures for thorough safety management in bus transportation~
　　https://www8.cao.go.jp/shoushi/shinseido/meeting/anzen/pdf/sougei_plan.pdf
*3: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism website Guidelines for safety devices that help prevent pick-up buses from being left behind
　　https://www.mlit.go.jp/report/press/content/001579452.pdf
*4: Exhibit contents are subject to change.

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URL: https://www.macnica.co.jp/go/mhi-cpd-product.html

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Macnica Left Behind Detection System Responsible
TEL: 045-476-2155
E-mail: ALT_MHIsupport@macnica.co.jp

*Company names and product names mentioned in this text are trademarks or registered trademarks of Macnica and each company.
*The information published in the news release (including product price, specifications, etc.) is current as of the date of announcement. Please note that the information may be subject to change without prior notice.