Business ExpandingControl Bionics Limited, an Australian company innovating augmentative and alternative communication, commences full-scale operations in Japan

Control Bionics Limited is a developer of wearable communication devices that use EMG (electromyography: waveform recordings of muscle action potentials) and 3D spatial control to capture minute signals emitted by the user and enable optimal communication in response to changing signals. The company was founded in Sydney in 2006 with the help of a number of partners in the US and Australian, including the late Stephen Hawking, who suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and based on the results of research and development with bioengineering experts, medical universities and specialized hospitals. In 2020, the company was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and is currently headquartered in Melbourne.

Unlike conventional stand-alone eye input systems, the Control Bionics' solution, which combines touch control and eye control in addition to EMG, features reduced fatigue due to less susceptibility to posture and light conditions, as well as ease of work for caregivers with wireless technology. In the US, the company offers financial assistance through Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Health Administration and private insurance; in Australia, it is a registered provider for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS); and it has also been approved for the Assistive Devices Program (ADP) in the Canadian province of Ontario.

Since its inception, Control Bionics has been working with users living with severe disabilities including cerebral palsy (CP), motor neuron disease (MND), spinal cord injury (SCI) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), as well as ALS, to research and develop augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) solutions aimed at increasing communication speed while reducing fatigue. In August 2021, the company established a Japanese branch in Tokyo, and in April 2022, it signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Double Research and Development Co., Ltd. Control Bionics plans to launch its product in May, and will start full-scale operations to better solve the communication challenges of people with severe disabilities in Japan through technology.

Upon establishing its Japan branch, JETRO’s Invest Japan Business Support Center (IBSC) assisted in searching for business partners/business matching, provided consultation (registration), market and regulatory information and PR support, and introduced service providers (administrative scriveners, banks, PR firms, translation agencies, and human resource companies).