CES 2015 Part 3 of 3 – Six more innovations useful for older adults

So many companies, so much press.  So far, even though the gadget gadfly media has produced multiple post-CES articles, they are mostly of the gizmos-for-you and even for those health tech companies like Withings, press caught them in the activity-tracking ‘fun’ wearable category. Some write-ups were good visual tours, and some press folk offered up a ho-hum, nothing new to see here view, like the NY Times – Everything Old is New Again. Which is silly. There were a gazillion new things to see at CES, but no way to make sense of them. The floor layout in both convention centers we were in could best be categorized as dart board random -- except for booth numbers and mega-broad categories. So to finish off this trilogy of post-CES blogs, Part 1 addressed a few tech offerings in the aging-related space. Part 2 took a look at a few of the health-related technology innovations. Finally, a few others that could assist in the older adults market, here some additional picks, only OnKöl and VideoforAlle targeting the senior market. As Ars Technica noted about CES 2015, that's a wrap.

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  Abeeway.  "French startup that provides small tag that enables geo-location with 1 year of battery life. Abeeway's new technology marks the end of clumsy geolocation gadgets that constantly need to be charged. The device can be used to provide daily updates, movement alerts, notification of exit from boundary (geo-fence), and device paging”.  Learn more at Abeeway.com.

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  Cubelets. From Modular Robotics, this offering – assemble your own table-top robot – is targeted at home use or educational programs for children. But this 'connect and watch it move' set of interlocking cubes seemed like it has great potential to engage in dementia care units with a willing staffer involved – not unlike the requirement of software like IN2L or Connected Living. In fact, Cubulets could add an interesting hands-on twist to those sessions. Learn more at Cubelets.

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  OnKöl. "US company OnKöl is a simple-to-use invention that connects elderly and those with special needs to their family and caregivers. It provides a team approach to helping care for a loved one, while allowing them to continue to live independently in their home. OnKöl simultaneously notifies selected family members and other caregivers of everything from vital signs to incoming and outgoing calls to emergency or panic situations. That way, the caregivers and interested parties can get out in front of specific events or anomalies, before they become full-blown emergencies." Learn more at OnKöl.

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  RealSense from Intel. 3D camera and gesture support from Intel’s RealSense technology enables a hands-free alternative interface that could be used in assistive technology applications. "Intel demonstrated a wearable technology research project that can help vision-impaired people navigate their environments more easily and safely. The wearable solution places sensors on clothing, equipped with Intel RealSense 3D cameras that sense the vicinity and trigger vibrations as a feedback mechanism, helping people to navigate their environment." Learn more at Intel.

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  SaviOne. Right now, this is a room service delivery robot piloted at a Cupertino hotel, but one could certainly imagine these in Assisted Living. According to the company’s own text: “Over time, personal robots will help people to achieve their potential, enhancing our strengths, overcoming our weaknesses, and endowing us with new capabilities we are just beginning to imagine. We are inspired by people who use technology to overcome disabilities, and we believe that robots have the potential to make all of our lives better.” Learn more at Savioke.

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  VideoforAlle.  This technology was a winner of CES 2015 Innovation Honoree Award, offers  This is a unique and extremely user-friendly combination of video conferencing, home monitoring and social communication technology. There is established a test pilot in collaboration with four municipalities and a private health provider. Its first unveiling was at CES as a prototype, with available in Norway in the spring and other countries at a later date.  Learn more (through Google Translate) at VideoforAlle.