When your e-home takes care of you

I’m enjoying the conversations on benefits and threats of a human society that relies more and more on connectivity, micro devices and various forms of artificial intelligence. Lots of people seem to think that the introduction of small connected devices, augmented reality, internet of things and heuristic algorithms is a certain way of bringing doom to our society, and will bring iRobot or Matrix on our too eager heads.

But there is another way to look at it: endless possibilities. Think about what technology can do for a population that is growing older and older, and will be increasingly suffering from all the symptoms of age. Todays and tomorrows technology will dramatically change the way we will take care of an aging generation. Connected smart homes can detect motion, temperature and vital information of its inhabitants. Collecting information on blood pressure, heartbeat, temperature etc. will be collected in a non-intrusive automated way. Children and medical crews can remotely monitor how an independently living person of high age is doing. In case of emergency wireless sensors and intelligent home sensors will automatically detect and call for help.   This will enable people to stay relatively longer  in an independent way, in the familiar surroundings from their own home, easing anxiety from elderly citizens and their caring loved ones alike.

Micro intelligent technology will even further enhance the ability to rethink patient care.  Augmented reality glasses combined with the location based technology available in every day smartphones will make sure that patients suffering from eg. Alzheimer will be able to identify their loved ones (through facial recognition and augmented labeling), and will show a confused person the way home. Self-driving and parking cars will keep this generation fully mobile for a way longer time. Automatic medicine dispensers, whether used inside or outside the human body will ensure correct medication, adapted at at hoc needs, through electronically verified data.

Social technology will also make social contacts easier. Lots of elderly people suffer from chronical loneliness, fueled by the fact that their offspring lives sometimes very far away. While it is true that nothing beats real life contacts to break the solitude of living alone, social technology is a great way of enhancing contacts with eg. grandchildren and children that live states away.

Internet of things, connected e-homes, personalized remote medicare and prolonged mobility. I sure hope science get’s its ducks in a row before it’s my turn to forget Alzheimer’s first name is Alois….