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Hidden system makes it easier for elderly people to live at home

Hidden system makes it easier for elderly people to live at home

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In the future, home-assisted living for the elderly could take a very unusual form.

Researchers have developed a system that can track down reading glasses or the front door key, analyze health data, and contact a physician or a call-out service. And the technology to do all this would be embedded in the walls. A smart entrance hall system will be unveiled at the Munich Creative Business Week event on February 20. Custom-designed models for other rooms are already in the pipeline.

Most senior citizens would prefer to live in their own homes for as long as possible. But memory loss and restricted mobility can lead to problems. Items like glasses or the phonebook disappear into thin air, or seniors can find themselves on the wrong side of a locked door after a trip to the shops. Many seniors end up unwilling to set foot outside the door, wary of their ability to get around or simply worried about the weather.

To alleviate these problems, researchers from Technische Universit„t Mnchen (TUM) and partners from the business world have designed a wall panel to assist the elderly in their own homes. A tablet computer is mounted in the wall and this provides a one-stop-shop for all the information they need. The weather forecast, bus timetables, family phone numbers and more can be accessed with a few simple taps on the screen.

Indoor positioning system can locate reading glasses

The prototype was designed for an entrance hall area and looks like a wardrobe. But this is no ordinary wardrobe. Thanks to its smart technology, it can issue a warning if the apartment’s occupant has not taken the front door key from the keyholder when they open the front door. The wall can keep track of other items that are often mislaid, too. It controls an “indoor positioning system” that can locate a pair of glasses, for example.

If the occupant is not feeling well, biosensors can measure key vital signs like blood pressure and blood sugar level. The system can then issue recommendations ? from a spot of exercise to a dose of medication. If the smart wall detects a critical health problem, it will contact a physician or a mobile nursing service. These healthcare professionals could also connect to the terminal to regularly check the elderly person’s health status. The terminal could also be linked to shopping or transport service providers.

The wall unit would also handle building automation functions. An integrated air conditioning unit would keep fresh air circulating if the occupant forgets to air the apartment.

Robot brings shopping basket to the kitchen

The researchers’ long-term aim is to design similar wall panels for every room. In the kitchen, the smart wall could monitor the stovetop or make meal preparation easier with height-adjustable cupboards. A small assistant in the form of a mobile robot could move between the hallway and the other rooms. It would be able to carry a shopping basket and bring it to the kitchen on command, for example.

The scientists have been careful to promote independence: “We want people to retain as much of their independence as possible,” affirms Prof. Thomas Bock of the TUM Chair of Building Construction and Robotics. “The assistance should only kick in when people are no longer capable of doing something themselves.” For that reason, the walls will have a modular design, with new functions added as and when required.

The assembly includes more than just high-tech features. The researchers remembered to add the usual hall fittings. Along with standard coat hooks, there is also a practical shoehorn at floor level.

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via Technical University of Munich
 

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