Australia’s PainChek (ASX:PCK) has been granted a patent in Japan for its smart phone pain assessment and monitoring technology.
The PainChek app automatically detects pain via artificial intelligence and facial recognition software. It effectively uses smartphone technology to give a voice to people who cannot verbalise their pain.
The technology is currently being rolled out via residential aged care facilities in Australia following a $5 million funding contribution from the Australian Federal Government.
According to PainChek CEO Philip Daffas, the patent in Japan is particularly significant given the size of the population and Japan’s ageing demographic.
“Recent estimates suggest that at least one in four Japanese residents is aged 65 years or older. Japan has a big population – around 126 million – and the number of elderly people is set to grow significantly in the future,” Mr Daffas.
This patent is an important step in opening up significant commercial opportunities for PainChek, especially given the focus on quality aged care services in Japan,” he said.
PainChek is continuing to complete important international milestones as part of its global expansion plans.
The company also recently secured a patent in the USA for its pain assessment app. The USA patent will allow PainChek to protect the intellectual property of its invention in the United States and provides a platform for growing the brand in other markets.
Mr Daffas said PainChek is also on track to obtain United States FDA DeNovo regulatory clearance. The DeNovo process provides a pathway to classify novel medical devices and will allow PainChek to begin marketing the invention in the US.
PainChek secured its first United Kingdom order with the signing of a 1,000-bed annual license in 2019. It also completed the registration of its trademark in the USA and the European Union.
“All early indications are that the global demand for PainChek will be substantial. With regulatory clearance in a range of markets, international patents being secured, trademarks being granted and the company starting to secure sales in the UK, we feel uniquely positioned to leverage the full global value of our remarkable IP and all the hard work to this point,” Mr Daffas said.