Technology manufacturers continue to invest heavily in healthcare innovations for older adults. That was clear by the wide range of devices to help improve the lives of seniors and those who care for them that were highlighted at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show Jan. 8-11 in Las Vegas.
This year, the annual four-day gathering of electronics companies and techies included several devices, geared toward seniors, that use artificial intelligence.
The Oticon Kaizn, one of several smart hearing aids featured at the event, uses AI to learn from a hearing aid wearer’s listening preferences, habits and environments to predict their preferences in a particular sound scenario. It then automatically adjusts the user’s hearing aid settings for an optimized listening experience. The device won a 2019 CES Best of Innovation Award in the software and mobile apps category.
Wheelchair wonders
AI was also the big draw of several advanced wheelchairs showcased at the event, including the Wheelie, which allows users to control the wheelchair’s movement using different facial expressions, such as a grin, a wink, a smooch and a raised eyebrow.
In terms of wearables, this year’s show also featured a machine washable device designed to keep tabs on the wearer’s vitals and anticipate potential medical emergencies.
Made out of cotton and Lycra, the Chronolife vest is meant to be worn daily and contains embedded sensors that record the electrical activity of a person’s heart, breathing, body temperature and general physical activity, including sudden movements, such as falls.
This data is accessible to the user through an app, as well as to healthcare providers who can look out for any troubling signs.
The vest doesn’t require an internet connection, and data is saved in a secure cloud service. Chronolife says the vest doesn’t require any charging and that its sensors don’t need to be removed in the wash.
From the February 01, 2019 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
