GoLiveWear results in a sensor prototype

Developed as an extension of the GoLivePhone - an Android customization designed to support seniors in their daily activities, through a number of tools such as messaging to medication reminders, activity monitoring and fall detection support - the GoLiveWear has resulted in a prototype with additional features.  With an accelerometer which communicates wirelessly with the smartphone, the goal of the GoLiveWear is to extend the functionality of the GoLivePhone, envisioning new scenarios such as its use, for instance, while bathing, since this is one of the situations with great risks of fall.

The GoLiveWear consists in a first version of an external sensor which generates an alert when goes out of range of the smartphone. The project fosters the features implemented in GoLivePhone project by providing activity monitoring, fall detection functionalities and an “SOS button”.  In case a fall occurs, a mobile message and/or email are sent to the caregiver. Furthermore, the sensor has an “alarm button” that the elder can use to request assistance to a caregiver. The prototype incorporates an algorithm that estimates the number of steps, the walked distance and the expended kilocalories.

As the name suggests, in the near future, the objective is to incorporate these functions in a wearable waterproof device, small enough to wear around the neck and/or wrist. Meanwhile, the team of experts and scientists from Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS is considering the extension to the analysis of other features such as sleeping patterns, anxiety levels, and heartbeat monitoring, for example.

The GoLiveWear is the result of a partnership between the Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS and the Dutch company Gociety. This partnership is aiming to develop and bring to the market simple and powerful solutions that support prevention, early diagnosis and continuous care to enable seniors to live longer independently at their homes with a high quality of live.

Watch the video about the GoLiveWear.