Overview

In December 2021, Unicharm Corporation, a global leader in personal hygiene products and the maker of the Lifree brand, launched an innovative service called "Adult Diaper Counseling" (大人用おむつカウンセリング). The goal: solve one of the most overlooked yet impactful issues in caregiving—ensuring that adult incontinence products are properly fitted. Central to this initiative is Bodygram’s AI body measurement technology, which allows caregivers to determine optimal product sizing simply by using a smartphone.

This service was introduced to enhance both care quality and dignity for aging populations, while also reducing the emotional and logistical burden on caregivers. It is a novel example of how healthcare technology can transform everyday consumer products.

Background: Addressing a Widespread Sizing Challenge

As Japan's aging population grows and life expectancy surpasses 80 years, the need for personalized, dignified elder care becomes increasingly urgent. Unicharm identified a persistent problem: despite widespread access to adult diapers, many users were wearing the wrong size.

Customer data revealed that:

• Over 60% of inquiries to Unicharm’s customer service and chatbot were related to product type or sizing.
• Roughly 90% of purchases were made by caregivers, who often chose sizes based on the user’s outer clothing or underwear size.
• As a result, about 40% of adult diaper users were using an incorrect size, compromising comfort, absorbency, and care quality.

In response, Unicharm launched a tech-enabled solution designed to empower caregivers with tools for accurate product selection—without needing physical consultation or in-store trial.

Solution: "Adult Diaper Counseling" Powered by Bodygram

The Adult Diaper Counseling service is delivered through Unicharm’s official LINE account, where caregivers can interact with a chat-based diagnostic tool supported by Bodygram’s AI measurement engine.

The experience unfolds in three steps:

1. Chat Diagnosis – The user answers a series of questions based on over 20,000 inquiries previously received by Unicharm’s support center. These responses help narrow down appropriate product categories.
2. AI Measurement – Using Bodygram technology, caregivers can take two photos (front and side) of the user with a smartphone. Bodygram’s AI estimates waist, hip, and thigh measurements to recommend the most suitable size.
   • If photography is not feasible, alternatives include manual entry of waist size or switching to a caregiver-scanning mode.
3. Size Recommendation and Purchase Support – Users receive a recommendation tailored to the individual’s body dimensions, which they can bring directly to a retail store or use for online purchases.

Importantly, Bodygram’s AI is not just a fitting tool—it also encourages routine check-ins. Because body size may change over time due to health, mobility, or nutrition factors, regular measurements help detect changes early and adjust sizing as needed.

Outcomes and Value

Enhanced Dignity and Care Accuracy

The service ensures that adult diapers fit correctly—enhancing mobility, reducing leakage, and preserving user comfort. This shift toward evidence-based sizing reflects Unicharm’s commitment to respectful, person-centered care.

Improved Caregiver Empowerment

By simplifying the sizing process and making it possible at home, Unicharm reduces the stress and guesswork for caregivers, many of whom lack direct access to the person’s full measurements or medical records.

Operational Efficiency for Retailers

Customers arrive at stores with sizing results in hand, enabling more accurate recommendations and reducing unnecessary product returns or exchanges.

Alignment with SDGs

The initiative contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being, by extending healthy, independent living and promoting better hygiene and caregiving environments.

Strategic Significance

This collaboration between Unicharm and Bodygram marks a broader trend in Japanese healthcare and consumer goods—where AI and remote tools are increasingly used to solve everyday human challenges. Incontinence care is deeply personal, and by applying advanced technology to an intimate category, Unicharm has elevated the product experience into a meaningful caregiving solution.

The project also supports Unicharm’s long-term vision to extend healthy life expectancy in Japan and other aging societies, through high-value products and services that combine empathy with innovation.

Conclusion

By integrating Bodygram’s AI body measurement technology into its customer support system, Unicharm has not only improved the way caregivers select adult diapers—it has introduced a new standard for digital care support. The Adult Diaper Counseling service is a testament to how thoughtful use of technology can deliver practical, dignified, and scalable solutions in the context of a rapidly aging society.

As the healthcare and wellness sectors continue to digitize, this case represents a pioneering example of AI in human-centered product design—and a clear model for other industries seeking to blend tech with empathy.

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