Homes Smart Enough to Talk

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The University of Bath has showcased a ‘smart’ home for people with dementia at the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council’s Pioneers 09 exhibition.
The ‘smart’ homes are designed to closely monitor residents’ movements and actions, allowing them to live more independently.
The system has voice prompts that can be set up by family members and others with familiar voices to remind people living with dementia to turn off lights, taps, cookers and other appliances.
Professor Roger Orpwood, director of the Bath Institute of Medical Engineering, told E-Health Insider: “We began by looking at dangerous behaviours that people with dementia display.
“We found that by having a familiar person telling them what was right and wrong in a recognisable way, there was a big impact on their actions.”
The homes also have safety solutions which detect, for example, excessive smoke from a hob or overflowing water in a sink. The system may also be developed to call or send text messages to family members if the person gets up during the night or goes outside.
Read the full article at
http://www.ehiprimarycare.com/news/4633/...gh_to_talk