A couple of products launched by Japanese companies recently that make it easier for persons with disabilities to get out and about were both developed with input from their target market.

Medical sheet maker Teikoku Pharmacare Corp. released in May a shoulder strap for a walking cane.

Called "ArukuTomo," or "walking friend," the strap enables the user to let go of the cane when reaching for a wallet, taking the stairs and in other situations.

A 63-year-old man came up with the idea after suffering a stroke that left him paralyzed down his left side. On his release from hospital, Kazuyoshi Endo attached a camera strap to a walking stick so that he could hook it over his shoulder and practice walking without worrying about dropping the cane.

The strap drew attention when he visited his local rehabilitation facility -- without a wheelchair. Impressed, staff asked Endo where they could buy one.

Convinced there was a market for his invention, Endo brought the idea to Naomi Matsumoto, who heads Hatsumei Labox, a Tokyo company that specializes in developing innovative products.

"Is it possible to commercialize this?" Endo asked her.

Matsumoto saw the potential, not only for those with disabilities but for the elderly as well. Improving on Endo's original idea, the company developed a prototype that subsequently attracted the interest of Teikoku Pharmacare President Mikiya Kasai.

Before the product was officially launched, Endo made a trip to the family grave in Kitakata, Fukushima Prefecture, made easier because he was wearing the new strap.

"It's so great because it means I don't have to stay at home," Endo said.

ArukuTomo features a safety mechanism that prevents it from snagging on people or objects, and that automatically detaches the strap should it get caught in a train door, according to the developers. The product carries a price tag of 9,800 yen ($87).

In Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, meanwhile, cotton fabric processing company Suzuki Industrial Arts Co. has launched a bag designed for women who use a wheelchair.

The bag, sold under the brand of ADOM, can be hooked to a wheelchair via a specially designed belt. It is priced at 14,018 yen.

To make the product fashionable as well as functional, the company tied up with Semui, a nonprofit organization publishing Co-Co Life Joshibu, a fashion magazine for women with disabilities.

The product was developed from ideas supplied by readers, mostly in their teens through their 30s, who responded to a survey.

Factors they listed as important included stylishness, a zipper that is easy to open or close with one hand and a wide strap to distribute weight evenly across the shoulder.

Among those polled, a 19-year-old reader nicknamed Miyu said it is difficult to find a bag that can easily be attached to a wheelchair.

Tamitsugu Inoue, who ran the project at Suzuki Industrial Arts, said the reader feedback had been essential to the bag's success. "By listening to their opinions, we were able to come up with a product that really meets the needs of the persons who use it."