Connected home monitoring company TruSense has just released a new smart personal emergency response pendent (PERS) that, when combined with TruSense home, integrates its sensors with Amazon Echo and Alexa. The company’s latest technology also uses GPS to notify caregivers when the pendent isn’t being worn.
“Anyone who has ordered a PERS wearable device for their loved ones knows the biggest issue is getting them to wear it,” Rob Deubell, senior vice president for TruSense, said in a statement. “Seniors are often at risk with single-solution products, as they have a false sense of security when they forget to charge or wear their pendants. The TruSense GPS Smart Pendant works in concert with TruSense Home, and can detect and alert caregivers, as well as the senior, via automated phone call or text messages in the event they leave home without their pendant. Through integration with leading consumer products, including the Amazon Echo, family members now have a new way of being supportive anytime simply by asking Alexa where their loved one is and how they are doing. TruSense delivers multiple layers of protection, providing a 24-7 safety net, and therefore additional peace of mind for families.”
The pendent is integrated with Amazon Echo, which will allow family members to use voice to check on the location of their loved one.
App users can keep track of their loved one by monitoring how long they have been in a room, their proximity from home, and when they started their day. It will also alert a caregiver if a fall is detected, and connect to an emergency response center which will dispatch services if needed.
The TruSense system can also track vehicles for location, warn of collisions, and note if a vehicle goes out of a certain area.
On a practical level, the pendent was designed to be water proof and reminds users when the battery needs to be changed.
Several companies have developed products that help with fall detection and home monitoring. Recently Kardian launched a contactless monitoring system which claims it can detect fall and slips, including sliding falls. The technology can also monitor resting heart rate, breathing rate, and sleep apnea, according to the company.
