BOSTON: An increasing number of care operators are using sensors to monitor whether an elderly person is eating properly, is anxious or has had a fall.
The sensors – placed at various locations around the home – track the person’s movements throughout the day, and the information is used to get an idea of his health status and emotional state.
If a door is opened too many times, for instance, it could signal anxiousness, said Associate Professor Miao Chun Yan, director of the Research Centre of Excellence in Active Living for the Elderly at Nanyang Technological University, which is leading the effort.
The same could be done with a refrigerator door, to monitor if a person is eating his meals.
“We are not trying to replace doctors but instead to collect data for caregivers to help them understand the needs of the elderly person,” said Prof Miao.
The sensing system developed by the team is able to translate the data into computer graphics, which are updated in real time, meaning caregivers would be able to keep tabs on the person’s movements remotely, such as through a smartphone.
But to claim this information is being gleaned without intruding on privacy is arrant nonsense…