Smartwatch Helps Look After Alzheimer’s Patients
Not every smartwatch just helps with reading email and tracking calories.
A new product called guard2me looks a lot like a giant Casio sports watch from the ’80s. Hidden inside, however, is a tracking system designed to keep an eye on Alzheimer’s patients and other elderly wearers.
The system uses GPS and cellular networks to pinpoint the location of the wearer, should he or she get disoriented or wander into unfamiliar surroundings. The location can be tracked via a smartphone or website, with the location positioned on a Google Map.
Through the site, users can set the watch to update at specific intervals or when the wearer leaves a safety zone. When the wearer enters a “danger zone,” it will send a text message alert. It also records activity, so caregivers can better configure updates to suit the wearer’s activity.
There’s a SIM card inside the device, which means the system can use cellular triangulation to locate the wearer in indoor locations where GPS might be out of range. The inclusion of a SIM means that the device can be used in 145 countries.
There’s also an accelerometer inside that sends an alert when the wearer has taken a spill.
We’ve seen a number of GPS tracking devices over the years, but guard2me sets itself apart from the largely kid-focused devices with a panic button that sends a text message in case of emergency. It also offers the wearer’s name, contact info and medical details like medication and blood type.
The watch is priced around €298 ($408). You can read more about it here.
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