Many people working in the logistic and agricultural industry struggle with back pain. Lifting and moving heavy objects, especially from a position low to the ground, requires a massive exertion of force on the lumbar spine and pelvis, and can lead to injuries such as hernias, disk slippage and stress fractures. Mizuno developed the Power Assist Suit to reduce the daily physical strain on working people as part of its mission to create a vigorous POWERED LIFE world in which people enjoy lives of even greater activity.
Carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs), which are light and extremely strong, are materials of interest that were first put into practical use, such as in golf club shafts and fishing rods, and their usage has expanded into industrial applications, including aircraft and automobiles, since the 1990s. Mizuno has already launched various products made of CFRPs, such as golf clubs with CFRP shafts.
Walking is a basic part of everyday life that we do not give much thought to, such as when doing housework, going out, shopping, and travelling. It links up almost all our living activities. Losing the ability to walk would signify a decline in the quality of life (QOL). In fact, there is a correlative relationship between walking speed and health expectancy—we know that those who walk quickly have long health expectancies, while those who walk slowly have short health expectancies.
In January 2022, Mizuno concluded a contract with Scrum Ventures, a venture capital fund investing in start-ups. In this context, Akito Mizuno, present of Mizuno Corporation, and Tak Miyata, general partner of Scrum Ventures, discuss their partnership.