Visable light Minder/Guider System for Elderly (ESCORT)

描述(由申请人提供)：这个第二阶段的SBIR项目将开发和鉴定一种新的辅助技术，以帮助患有阿尔茨海默病或其他老年痴呆症的人。Visible Light Minder系统蜂窝护送(Tm)在室内跟踪患者，并向中央服务器和护理人员提供位置信息。该系统识别危险区域和情况，并向照顾者发出警报。病人可以得到个人音频指示或由护送人员指导。该系统将增强患者的自由、独立和安全，承担家庭成员和照顾者的部分工作量，降低患者护理成本，使患者能够在家中呆得更长时间，推迟住院。Talking Lights光发射器和接收器将向网络提供位置信息，并使用经过修改的、无闪烁的房间照明来提供位置。主要的数据载体将是一个标准的射频无线网络，它将通过照明位置来实现情景感知。第一阶段在实验室和有限的病人试验中展示了护送的概念。护送将在辅助生活和居家环境中的患者中进行演示和资格验证，并通过Minder和Minder/Guider功能对护理改进进行评估和量化测量。 Talking Lights技术的其他应用领域包括医院、学校、零售店、贸易展、博物馆和其他设施。开发的硬件将包括紧凑型荧光发射器和可穿戴式接收器，以便向用户的计算机提供精确的位置信息。开发的软件将允许跟踪患者，评估他们的位置和旅行，向护理人员提供警报，并为患者提供音频指导。

DESCRIPTION(provided by the applicant): This Phase II SBIR project will develop and qualify a new assistive technology to aid persons who suffer from Alzheimer's disease or other dementias of aging. The Visible Light Minder System celled ESCORT(tm) tracks the patient indoors and provides location information to a central server and to caregivers. The system identifies hazardous areas and situations and alerts caregivers. The patient can be given personal audio directions or guidance by ESCORT. The system will enhance patient freedom, independence and safety, assume some workload of family members and caregivers, reduce cost of patient care and enable patients to remain at home longer and delay institutionalization. Talking Lights optical transmitters and receivers will provide location information to the network, with modified, non-flickering room illumination used to provide location. The primary data carder will be a standard RF wireless network which will be made context-aware through illumination location. Phase I demonstrated the concept of ESCORT in the laboratory and in limited patient trials. ESCORT will be demonstrated and qualified with patients in assisted living and in at home settings and the improvement in care evaluated and quantitatively measured both with minder and with minder/guider functions. Other application areas for Talking Lights technology include hospitals, schools, retail stores, trade shows, museums and other facilities. Hardware developed will include compact fluorescent light transmitters, and a wearable receiver to give precise location information to the user's computer. Software developed will allow track patients, assess their location and travel, provide alerts to caregivers and give audio guidance to patients.