Eccentric inventor Yoshiro Nakamatsu, popularly known as Dr. NakaMats, has revealed that he has terminal cancer and is expected to live a year and a half.

Nakamatsu said at a news conference Thursday that he was diagnosed with ductal prostate cancer in December and was told by doctors that he was expected to live no longer than until the end of 2015.

“The life of someone who published a paper proving that if you take care of your health properly you could live to be 144 is going to end soon. I was just shocked,” he said.

But he also said the diagnosis prompted him to seek new innovations.

“I’m going to discover a new treatment,” he told reporters.

Nakamatsu, who has patented thousands of inventions, also came up with Yummy Nutri Brain food. According to Nakamatsu, the food will “restructure” the body and enable people to live to the ripe old age of 144. The snacks are a mixture of dried shrimp, seaweed, cheese, yogurt, eel, eggs, beef and chicken liver as well as various vitamins considered helpful to the brain’s thinking process.

While admitting that his malady will be difficult to beat, Nakamatsu said he will seek new approaches and create a medical robot to be used in treating cancer. He said he was willing to share his know-how once his revolutionary project succeeds and help other cancer patients with fundraising drives.

Nakamatsu made the announcement on his 86th birthday. “I thought (this new invention I’m going to work on) would be beneficial for future generations,” he said in explaining why he chose to reveal his condition.