Here's a growing business based entirely on a new use for sensors. The firm behind it, Living Independently, just raised an additional $10 million in venture capital, bringing the total raised to $22 million.
QuietCare places wireless sensors throughout a senior's home or apartment. According to the firm, QuietCare "functions as a 24 hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week early detection and early warning system that lets caregivers and family members know that a loved one is safe."
In practice, the system learns the "normal" behavior of each senior. Using just sensors - no video images whatsoever - it monitors when the person eats, sleeps, takes medicine, and even uses the restroom.
Then, when the senior varies from his or her normal pattern, the system can issue an alert.
Information and alerts are passed to caregivers through a trained call center, through email, text messages, beepers, and through a password-protected web site. The reports are quite comprehensive and it's not hard to imagine how valuable they could be.
Many years ago, my mother was very ill and lived alone over a hundred miles away from me. I wish QuietCare was available then; it would have given us both peace of mind.
Headquartered in New York, Living Independently developed QuietCare following 12 years of research and development that was funded in part by grants from the National Institute of Health and Aging.
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