Toyota Refines Rehabilitation Assist Robot and Launches New Welwalk WW-2000Available for purchase to provide the joy of walking to more patients

Toyota City, Japan, November 21, 2019―Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) has announced the launch of its new Welwalk WW-2000, a robot designed to provide rehabilitation support to individuals with lower limb paralysis as a result of stroke and other causes. Orders for the new model commenced in November 2019 and planned to be delivered in February 2020. The Welwalk WW-2000 upgrades the various features of the prior model (the Welwalk WW-1000), namely the rehabilitation support functions based on motor learning theory and the ease of use in clinical settings. Specifically, it adds functions that display assistance settings in real time to improve abnormal gait as well as a game function that helps maintain motivation so patients continue their rehabilitation efforts. The adoption of these new functions reduces burdens on therapists compared to the previous model while providing more efficient walking training to patients.

The prior model was provided on a rental basis to medical institution, but in light of requests from healthcare institutions and market assessments, the Welwalk WW-2000 will be made available for purchase with the aim of improving overall quality of service. In addition, production will be implemented at the Motomachi Plant, with a sales target of 50 units sold to medical institutions annually.

In line with the vision of "freedom of mobility for all, and the joy of self-reliance," Toyota has been developing rehabilitation assist robots in collaboration with Fujita Health University in Toyoake City, Aichi Prefecture since the end of 2007, with the robots used in pilot testing in healthcare settings and clinical research at medical institutions starting in 2011. In 2017, rental of the Welwalk WW-1000, which was the first Toyota product to receive approval as a medical device, commenced. The Welwalk WW-1000 received the 8th Robot Award^* in 2018, and to date, it has been used at approximately 80 medical institutions in Japan. With the launch of the Welwalk WW-2000, Toyota hopes to bring the "joy of walking with one's own feet" to even more patients while reducing burdens on therapists.

Overview of the Welwalk WW-2000

Generic name	Active extension, flexion and rotation movement device
Registered name	Welwalk WW-2000 (Certified medical device number: 301AFBZX00046000)
Price (excluding consumption tax)	Hardware 23.5 million yen (24.5 million yen in Okinawa) (MSRP) Maintenance agreement 50,000 yen/month × 60 months (starting in the second year)
Composition	Main body The product comprises the overall system including treadmill and monitor	Robotic leg Fitted onto individuals with lower limb paralysis to assist in knee flexion and extension movements
Features	Rehabilitation support functions based on medical motor learning theory Adjustable level of assist to suit the patient A natural gait from the start and ensures a certain level of exercise, reducing burdens on therapists. Automated recognition of abnormal gait by patients Multiple sensors detect abnormal gaits and the success or failure of walking can be quantified in real time. Potential setting changes that may facilitate improvement of an unnatural gait are automatically displayed. Feedback and game function to motivate patients Feedback is provided visually on a monitor and by sound according to the walking stance and number of steps taken, and a game function makes the rehabilitation more enjoyable, helping to maintain patient motivation to practice. Ease of use in clinical settings Simple construction and functions, including easy fitting and central touch panel operation Enhanced data management Walking status can be confirmed in real time and objective, quantitative data can be recorded and played back.
Dimensions and weight	External dimensions 1,200 mm (width), 2,570 mm (depth), 2,380 mm (height) Weight approx. 700 kg (main body); approx. 6 kg (robotic legs)
Details of the Rental System	Toyota has consigned sales planning and management to Good Life Design Inc., which will sell the robot to customers through Paramount Bed Co., Ltd. and Pacific Supply Co., Ltd., its sales agents. Toyota will consign service to Paratechno Co., Ltd.
Production	Motomachi Plant, Toyota Motor Corporation