Sensing technologies enhance the health and safety of people and pets

Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation (AKM) will showcase its latest sensing technologies for the growing AgeTech and PetTech markets at CES® 2026. The demonstrations, featuring technologies such as millimeter-wave radar and energy-harvesting innovations, will be presented in the Digital Health section of the Venetian Expo at booth 54829.

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Mockup of Asahi Kasei Microdevices' booth at CES 2026, focusing on AgeTech and PetTech

With aging populations driving increased demand for safety and wellness solutions, AKM is focusing on technologies that address real-world health and caregiving challenges. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in four Americans aged 65 and older experiences a fall each year, making falls a leading cause of injury and injury-related death in this age group. Many of these incidents occur in bathrooms, where wearable devices are often removed, and the use of camera-based monitoring raises significant privacy concerns. AKM will demonstrate a fall detection solution, based on their AK5816AIM millimeter-wave radar module, that can detect a person’s position and posture accurately and recognize a fall event within 10 seconds.

“The market has been waiting for a monitoring solution that preserves users’ privacy and works where elderly people are most vulnerable,” said Gregg Rouse, President of AKM’s United States business unit. “Our millimeter-wave technology enables the design of products that can alert family members or caregivers to a potentially life-threatening emergency without the use of cameras or wearables.”

AKM will also showcase the next-generation of the smart diaper solution that was presented at CES® 2025. This system generates a tiny voltage using urine as an electrolyte and conductive materials as electrodes. These electrodes are implemented using printable inks in the diaper material, allowing for flexible and scalable manufacturing. AKM’s proprietary energy-harvesting technology powers the system: a module featuring its ultra-low-power DC/DC converter boosts the generated voltage and powers AKM’s Bluetooth® Low Energy transmitter. A smart diaper designed to work with this platform can detect and notify caregivers of urination without the requirement of batteries. This updated solution includes an algorithm that estimates both frequency and volume of urination, providing caregivers with more data that may be used to improve the quality of care.

Expanding beyond human health applications, AKM is leveraging its core sensing and power-management technologies to address emerging opportunities in the PetTech sector. According to the 2025 State of the Industry Report published by the American Pet Products Association (APPA), approximately 94 million U.S. households—about 71% of all homes—own a pet, a number that continues to rise. This growth fuels an increasing demand for technologies that protect pets’ health and safety.

AKM will unveil two PetTech solutions at CES® 2026. The first is a cage monitoring system for veterinary clinics. This demonstration utilizes a cage-mounted AK5816AIM millimeter-wave radar module to monitor the breathing and heart rate of dogs and cats. This transforms standard cages into smart cages that can alert veterinarians if irregularities in vital signs are detected. Veterinary care products incorporating this module would significantly enhance monitoring during post-surgical recovery and could potentially save pets’ lives.

AKM will also demonstrate a smart pet collar featuring built-in temperature sensors that measure both the pet’s body surface temperature and the surrounding temperature. When fever or excessive heat is detected, the system sends a notification via Bluetooth®. Pet collars designed to use this technology could inform owners about near-term concerns and facilitate the early detection of other potential health issues.

AKM’s continuous advancement in sensing prioritizes both privacy and convenience, supporting the health and safety of people and their pets.

Visit the AKM media kit for photos of all technologies.

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About Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation (AKM)

AKM, a Japan-based company, operates an electronic components business as a member of the Asahi Kasei Group’s Material sector. AKM provides customers with unique products by combining the compound semiconductor technology used in magnetic sensors with the ASIC/analog circuit technology used in silicon semiconductors. AKM’s unique products and solutions are featured across a wide range of markets, including mobile communication devices and consumer products, as well as automotive electronics devices, household equipment, and industrial equipment. Additional information is available at https://www.akm.com/global/en/.

About Millimeter-wave Antenna-in-Module (AiM) “AK5816AIM”

AKM’s AiM modules AK5816AIM integrate their 60 GHz mmWave radar IC AK5816 and a 4-in/4-out antenna array into a single compact package (23 mm × 23 mm). The antenna integration eliminates the need for custom RF design, reducing engineering effort and shortening time-to-market. Its mass production is scheduled in spring 2026.

To simplify evaluation and accelerate development, AKM also offers the “AIMEZ-V” development kit, which includes a baseline software environment for quick setup, as well as support for integrating proprietary algorithms, enabling a smooth transition from evaluation to product development.

About Asahi Kasei

The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world. Since its foundation in 1922 with ammonia and cellulose fiber business, Asahi Kasei has consistently grown through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age. With more than 50,000 employees worldwide, the company contributes to sustainable society by providing solutions to the world’s challenges through its three business sectors of Healthcare, Homes, and Material. For more information, visit www.asahi-kasei.com.

Asahi Kasei is also dedicated to sustainability initiatives and is contributing to reaching a carbon neutral society by 2050. To learn more, visit https://www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/.

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