Without cameras and without the elderly having to carry sensors on them, Amazon uses Israeli technology to detect falls of the elderly
Photo: Amazon
Aging is not easy, and among these and other health problems, the elderly are at considerable risk of falls in their homes that may end in severe damage and even life-threatening. This concern bothers the elderly and those close to them, and there are quite a few solutions designed to allow the elderly to call for help in the event of a fall, but they are not optimal to say the least. So Amazon decided to launch a new service just for that, and in order to look after the elderly without a single camera, they used Israeli startup technology.
Able to detect falls even if there is steam or a bath curtain in the background
Amazon has recently launched a new service called Alexa Together, which is intended for the elderly population but also for its relatives. It allows, among other things, relatives to receive alerts that the senior has started his day by using Alexa, Amazon’s voice assistant; Option to call for help using Alexa; And one particularly interesting feature of identifying falls.
Unlike other help-based call buttons, straps and cameras that will not necessarily make an elderly person feel more comfortable at home, Amazon has chosen a completely different technology from the Israeli company Vayyar Imaging. The company develops radar-based imaging solutions, which use high-frequency radio waves without any cameras. These are sensors that are able to detect movement in the home and aim to detect falls, and they are able to do so even in complete darkness or even when there is a bath curtain or steam in the room (as will happen in the shower, where many of the falls occur).
In case of a fall detection, the sensor interfaces to Alexa, who turns to the senior and asks him if he needs help. If there is no response or if help is requested by the senior, Alexa contacts the rescue forces and also sends an alert to the family member or caregiver of the senior.
Vayyar already manufactures similar B2B products installed in sheltered housing facilities around the world, and also manufactures other standalone products, but in this case it is a merger with one of the most significant companies in the United States, and direct interfacing to a much-loved ecosystem especially among American audiences. Vayyar is not the only partner in this Amazon program, which is also a member of ATS – another player in the field.
Amazon’s announcement comes at an interesting timing where many seniors are delaying the move to sheltered housing as much as possible and want to age respectfully in their home, but this idea leads to no small problems, and Amazon very much wants to sneak into this area. The new service costs $ 19.99 a month, or $ 199 a year and replaces the free service that was hitherto available under the name Care Hub. The dedicated Vayyar sensor that interfaces with Alexa will cost you another $ 250.
Vayyar was founded in 2011 by Raviv Melamed (CEO and Chairman), Naftali Hayat (CTO) and Miri Ratner (Research and Development). Melamed was previously the director of the mobile wireless communications division at Intel Israel, until he left in 2010 with the aim of establishing a company whose overarching goal is to enable early detection of breast cancer. Tailor Wartner served in senior management positions at BreezeCOM and Alvarion.
A good old age
Born with a joystick in hand. He has far too many gadgets and far too little free time to play with them all. An unexplained hammer holder for calibrating device batteries. When he’s not busy writing about technology, he likes to talk about it, and a lot
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