Nobi launches innovative AI-powered smart lamp which helps to prevent and detect falls
A lamp, designed by Nobi, a European provider of innovative technologies in elderly care, which helps to both prevent and detect falls, launches this week in the UK and Ireland.
The Nobi lamp aims to offer a solution to a global problem, with falls being the most significant cause of fatal injuries in the elderly. According to UK Government figures, around a third of people aged 65 and over, and around half of all people aged 80 and over, fall at least once a year. Offering help as quickly as possible is crucial and can be a lifesaver.
In the instance of an elderly person taking a fall the intelligent lamp detects this immediately and speaks to them, asking if they are okay. In the event of no response or a call for help, the intelligent lamp is pre-programmed to send a message – to either caregivers or family member. In the event of an emergency, the emergency services are notified with the lamp having the ability to open the door for them.
There is also the ability to send an image to show where in the room the fall has occurred. The Nobi lamp can be pre-programmed in line with the elderly person’s wishes. They can choose whether or not to share an image should a fall occur and can also opt for the image to be converted to an abstract figure to ensure privacy.
With its 24/7 monitoring, Nobi also aims to help prevent falls. When a resident sits upright in bed at night Nobi will shine soft light upwards to gently illuminate the room and if the person then stands up to go to the bathroom, for example, the smart lamp will illuminate the entire room.
In time, the AI technology built into the Nobi smart lamp will also be able to predict certain falls; preventing even more incidents. Changes in walking pace, length of stride and even the person’s posture when sitting will be detected and can be used to alert caregivers of a potential risk.
Speaking about the need for Nobi, Co-founder and CEO of Nobi, Roeland Pelgrims said: “Falls are the most common cause of fatal injuries, and 50 per cent of the elderly who lay on the floor for longer than one hour die within six months of the fall {according to research by the American Academy of Family Physicians]. Quick help after a fall is crucial and equals saving quality years of life.
“Nobi’s ability to communicate immediately with care providers or family members provides peace of mind.”
The Nobi smart lamp has been carefully designed to feel familiar in every interior and as such is unobtrusive and is easily installed with no need for new cables – only a Wifi connection is required.
Nobi is set to play a pivotal role in the use of innovative technologies in care settings as the sector searches for solutions that fit seamlessly into the care environment. Pelgrims commented: “The population continues to age at a rapid pace. In fact, one-fifth of Europe’s population is currently over 65, and this will be one quarter by 2040.
“This ageing demographic is a tough challenge for all healthcare systems worldwide including the UK and Ireland which are already suffering from an acute shortage of healthcare personnel.”
Against this backdrop, Nobi aims to support care workers in residential care centres and assisted living facilities or hospitals so they can focus on their core task knowing that the lamp is watching over residents and patients and will alert them in case of a fall.
The lamp also takes repetitive administrative tasks off caregivers’ hands, freeing up time for duties that really make a difference.
For example, Nobi can be integrated with devices like smart scales and blood pressure monitors to automatically log health measurements and ensure this data is logged efficiently. Eventually it will help predict when things might go wrong so that preventative action can be taken.
Nobi’s ambitions don’t stop with residential settings; the company is set to develop the Nobi smart lamp further to offer an option for the elderly living independently in their own homes. A consumer market rollout is scheduled for 2023.
Nobi lamps are already in place in a number of settings in Europe and the company has started collaborations with large and small Belgian and international healthcare providers, including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospitals, community care and convalescent homes.
UK distribution is being handled by Porters Care with the Irish market being handled by Medguard who have a demo room set up at their Ashbourne office in Co.Meath.
Speaking about Nobi, David Knowles, Porters Care managing director, said: “I came across Nobi several years ago and watched the progress of the smart lamp with interest.
“After speaking to the team and experiencing how the system works, I had no hesitation with us becoming the UK Distributors. The potential is huge for the UK market, it’s a great product, it looks good, is easy to install and, importantly, it works out of the box!”
Retailers wanting to find out more information about Nobi in the UK are advised to contact David Knowles on 07393 537620 or visit the Porters Care website. For Ireland contact Donal Doherty on 01 835 2411 or visit the Medguard website.
