Welsh startup launches new range of assistive tech products for independent living
Care Direct Technology has announced the commercial release of its suite of assistive technology products designed to make independent living more achievable for those who need extra help around the home.
The release includes a set of IoT home sensors, a smartwatch, personal alarm, reactive cameras with a two-way microphone, and smart hub, which collect data around the clock and report into an activity feed within an easy-to-use mobile app.
With this launch of assistive technology products, Care Direct Technology aims to reduce the load on emergency services by allowing family and carers remote visual and voice access to their loved ones to enable early interventions when needed.
In addition, the products can provide peace of mind to those far away from their families, people who are self-isolating and act as a vital communication tool in the battle against loneliness.
With instant push notifications for significant events such as calls, falls or geofence breaches, Care Direct products enable professionals and family to remotely monitor and speak to their loved ones. According to the company, this remote monitoring has become increasingly important during the current COVID-19 lockdowns to help people stay well and connected, as face-to-face contact has been reduced.
The new digital devices connect to both Wi-Fi and 4G, meaning the smartwatch and personal alarm can be used outside the home too.
The personal alarm can also be worn in the shower and the automatic fall detection feature means that wearers who are knocked unconscious or are otherwise unable to press the assistance button will still activate an alert to their carer’s app so the situation can be assessed and help sought quickly.
Care Direct Technology CEO Chris Smith said: “For us, user security is key. We know that not everyone is comfortable with the idea of being ‘watched’ so our technology is designed to work differently. For the end user, we’ve designed our products to keep their interactions with the products very simple and secure. We want to preserve their dignity whilst keeping them safe.
“For the family or care team supporting them, our app provides a handy way of checking in from wherever you are. From the data we provide you can see whether Mum is up and had her morning cup of tea without phoning or knocking the door. Care Direct Technology is for everyone.”
Both the smart hub and smartwatch are voice-controlled, using Amazon Alexa to allow people to dictate shopping lists to be sent to the carer, access the news, radio and other online information, plus make video calls and write texts without complicated touch interactions. The accessible wearables are all configured to speak their functions aloud.
Additional features across the range include a live map to track wearers who wander beyond the geofenced area set by their carer and an SOS button to push in emergencies.
The Care Direct Technology app is available now for Apple and Android devices on a subscription basis.
For more information about Care Direct Technology, visit the website
For sales and investment opportunities, email sales@caredirect.tech