GOKURI: AI to judge your swallows

GOKURI, developed at the AI laboratory of University of Tsukuba, is an mHealth-based device for the monitoring of swallowing activities (JP patent:5952536). Using a smartphone, GOKURI evaluates the swallowing ability from the swallowing sound collected on the neck.

Preventing Aspiration Pneumonia

According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, pneumonia is the 3rd leading cause of death in Japan since 2012. In particular, aspiration pneumonia and the decline in the swallowing ability is increasingly becoming too important to be neglected. GOKURI is developed as a tool to help prevent aspiration by assisting the detection of safe swallows.

Non-invasive and portable

The Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study (VFSS) and the Video Endoscopic Examination of Swallowing, the only gold standards that so far have been, could not be used for long periods nor during daily life. Furthermore, the food used in these tests are prepared with additives that alters the texture and the taste, a hurdle which is overcome with GOKURI.

Real-time Assessment from the Swallowing Sound

Within 250ms of completing a swallow, GOKURI will extract the following key sound components:

  • ① Elevation of the larynx
  • ② Dilatation of the UES (Upper Esophageal Sphincter)
  • ③ Return of the larynx
By automatically analyzing the spatio-temporal characteristics, it will determine the occurrence of healthy swallows.

Swallowing Vs. Aspiration

In GOKURI, safe swallows are visualized in green. It can also detect coughs, which is often a sign of aspiration. This will make both the smartphone interface and the LED on the neck-wear to turn red.

Towards enjoying meals even for a day longer

GOKURI will be the heart of the framework that extends beyond the geographical business boundaries to combine swallowability with mealtime-care. This will bring together the hospitals, healthcare works and the food manufactures to offer the best possible pleasure of eating to satisfy the ability of each individual.

Building an index to continue oral food intake

An index, which safely allows you to select meals based on the "Swallowability". We expect it to be easily measurable like the body temperature and readily displayed on products similar to the calories.

Get Hosting.

For all who are working on dysphagia: are you interested of becoming an early adopter?

GOKURI is still in development and we need lots of swallow data to make it better. Please contact us to be an early adopter

Funding Information

H.27 Program for Creating STart-ups from Advanced Research and Technology of the Japan Science and Technology Agency(JST START)
装着型嚥下計測技術に基づく摂食・嚥下支援ネットワーク形成への応用(Principal investigator: Kenji Suzuki)」

平成24年度厚生労働科学研究費補助金(長寿科学総合研究事業)
頸部装着型機器による嚥下機能評価と食事介助支援装置の実用化(Principal investigator: Akira Matsumura)」

Do you wish to receive latest information regarding GOKURI

GOKURI is developed for commercialization. We can send latest information with our email newsletter (approx. twice per year)

Information will only be used for sending the email newsletter and sharing information on early adoption