Exhibition at the 49th Annual Meeting of The Society of Swallowing and Dysphagia of Japan

We exhibited at the 49th Annual Meeting of The Society of Swallowing and Dysphagia of Japan, held at Saga City Cultural Center on February 12–13, 2026, within the booth of PHARYNTEC Co., Ltd. through the company's cooperation.

Booth Theme

The theme of our booth was "Frailty Prevention and Maintenance of Swallowing Function through eSports."

Experience Corner

As part of the exhibition, we prepared racing games (The Crew and Forza Horizon 5) that would be readily accessible to participants with driving experience. Because steering-wheel operation involves resistance and force feedback and requires continuous upper-limb movement, we introduced this activity as an enjoyable way to engage physical function.

Demonstration of a Swallowing-Triggered Game

We also presented a simple game demonstration incorporating gamification, in which swallowing-related electromyographic signals or swallowing sounds were used as triggers. Participants earned points by performing dry swallows at the appropriate timing. Specialists in swallowing medicine were able to try the demo themselves, which led to valuable discussions regarding its potential application to swallowing function training.

The handout presented esports medicine as an initiative grounded in medical knowledge that contributes to injury prevention and to the appropriate activation of cognitive and physical functions. It also introduced examples from previous research on the effects of gameplay on cognitive and physical function in older adults. Real-time games, including racing games, may contribute to the maintenance of cognitive and physical function in older adults, and the present exhibition was designed and presented in light of these findings.

We will continue to explore the interface between swallowing medicine, eSports, and digital technology, while examining new possibilities for intervention and public engagement that combine enjoyment with sustainability.