OMRON Wins Eight iF Product Design, Universal Design Awards - SpotArm i-Q132 Automatic Blood Pressure Monitor Named "Consumer Favorite" -

iF Product Design Awards

The iF Product Design Award, presented by Hannover-based International Forum Design GmbH, is one of the world's most prestigious design awards. This year's competition drew 2771 entries from 35 countries, of which 821 products received awards. Submissions were grouped into 14 categories, including medicine/healthcare, industry and transportation, and judged on design quality, processing, material selection, degree of innovation, environmental compatibility, functionality, ergonomics, intuitive ease of use, safety, brand value/branding and universal design aspects.

The five OMRON Healthcare products that received iF Product Design Awards are as follows:

iF Product Design Award-winning Products	Model No.
Automatic blood pressure monitor	HEM-7080IT-E (M10-IT)
Solar-powered blood pressure monitor	HEM-SOLAR
Body fat monitor with scale	HBF-201
Pedometer	Walking Style One HJ-152-E
Vital signs monitor	HBP-T105

OMRON Healthcare was recognized for the accuracy, functionality and usability of its products, which were developed under the company's "Shaped for people." design concept. This year's awards represent the second consecutive year of recognition for OMRON Healthcare, which received iF Product Design Awards in 2007 for a digital thermometer (model MC-670-E; iF Gold Award) and the SpotArm i-Q132 automatic blood pressure monitor.

Universal Design Awards

The Universal Design Awards were held for the first time this year. Hosted by Universal Design Association, the awards evaluate the fairness, flexibility, safety, usability and cost of products. There are two award categories: the Universal Design Award, judged by four people including an internationally active designer, and the Universal Design Consumer Favorite Award. Consumer Favorite Award winners were selected by visitors to ADF 2008, a consumer expo held in Hannover from January 26 to February 3.

Although the Universal Design Awards were only in their first year, the competition drew 131 entries from 18 countries, of which 36 products received awards. Seven of the winners, including OMRON Healthcare's SpotArm i-Q132 automatic blood pressure monitor, were further honored with Consumer Favorite Awards. The SpotArm i-Q132 received high marks for usability due to the position of the cuff, which encourages correct posture when taking blood pressure and thus ensures that readings are accurate.

The three OMRON Healthcare products that received Universal Design Awards are as follows:

Universal Design Award-winning Products	Model No.
Automatic blood pressure monitor	SpotArm i-Q132 (HEM-1010-E)
Digital thermometer	i -Temp (MC-670-E)
Portable ECG monitor	HCG-801-E

OMRON Healthcare is proud of its accomplishments in the area of design and will continue to prioritize design in the development of products in order to improve quality of life (QOL) of people around the world.

Attachment: Product Profiles

iF Product Design Award-winning Products 2008

Automatic blood pressure monitor
HEM-7080IT-E (M10-IT)
This digital automatic blood pressure monitor automatically calculates and records the average of blood pressure readings taken in the morning and at night. Data can be managed on personal computers with software sold separately.

* European version of Japanese model HEM-7080IT

Solar-powered blood pressure monitor
HEM-SOLAR
Powered by batteries that can be recharged using only sunlight, this environmentally friendly blood pressure monitor produces less waste material and CO2 than conventional models.

Body fat monitor with scale
HBF-201
With its simple design, this body fat monitor/scale can be placed anywhere. The monitor's foot-to-foot sensing method allows for accurate measurement simply by stepping on the scale.

* This product received a Good Design Award (Japan) in 2007

Pedometer
HJ-152-E
This pedometer, which counts "aerobic steps," features a large, easy-to-read liquid crystal display.

* European version of Japanese model HJ-151
* This product received a Good Design Award (Japan) in 2007

Vital Signs Monitor
HBP-T105
A vital signs monitor to measure hospital patients' vital signs such as blood pressure, arterial oxygen saturation level and body temperature. An easy-to-see front panel tilted at a 40-degree angle reduces the burden on nurses who make rounds of patients' rooms measuring vital signs.

* This product received a Good Design Award (Japan) in 2007

Universal Design Award-winning Products 2008

Digital Automatic BP Monitor
HEM-1010-E(SpotArm i-Q132)
This full automatic, arm-type BP monitor takes measurements by just gliding your arm through the cuff. The SpotArm snugly wraps your arm while leading you to the right posture. HEM-1010-E features a function to detect early-morning hypertension which is difficult to check at hospitals.

* European version of Japanese model HEM-1010

Digital thermometer
MC-670-E (i-Temp)
This digital thermometer made more accurate reading possible with a flat tip rests easily under the arm. The wide LC display enables easy reading.

* European version of Japanese model MC-670
* This product received the Good Design Award (Japan) in 2004, and was selected for the JIDA Design Museum (Japan) in 2004

Portable ECG monitor
HCG-801-E
This ECG can complete readings and record data in 39 seconds, even when irregular conditions such as palpitations occur. The ECG displays detailed waveform information on its wide LC screen, helping doctors diagnose serious conditions.

* European version of Japanese model HCG-801
* This product received a Good Design Award (Japan) in 2004

About OMRON

Headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, OMRON Corporation is a global leader in the field of automation. Established in 1933 and headed by President and CEO Hisao Sakuta, OMRON has more than 33,000 employees in over 32 countries working to provide products and services to customers in a variety of fields, including industrial automation, electronic components, social systems (ticket gate machines, ticket vending machines and traffic control) and healthcare. For more information, visit OMRON's website at www.omron.com.