As the baby boomers roll into retirement in droves, one can’t help wondering why we aren’t yet living in the world of “The Jetsons.” While we may not see a flying car that can fold into a briefcase in our lifetime, there are some significant technological advances ahead that will make aging easier for the generation that grew up watching the futuristic cartoon.
Kari Olson, chief innovation and technology officer for Front Porch, a not-for-profit that provides support services for senior communities, keeps her finger on the pulse of new technology in an effort to identify products that will help seniors in the company’s communities.
Her organization has partnered with Intel-GE Care Innovations, a partnership formed to deliver remote health care solutions, to test a system that allows residents to take their own vital signs and send them to caregivers for remote medical monitoring. One of the company’s communities is using sensor systems that detect whether residents are active and notify someone to check on them if they’re not.
Remote monitoring of elders’ health and activity is likely to get more sophisticated as technology advances, with the idea that more seniors can stay home alone with the help of what has been dubbed “nana technology” by Andrew Carle, executive-in-residence and founding director of the Program in Senior Housing Administration at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Carle coined the term to describe technology using microchips that can be used to help older Americans.
Carle, who worked as a consultant on the development of shoe insoles that use GPS to track patients with Alzheimer’s, sees a lot of potential in smart clothing, now worn mostly by athletes. The sensors that now monitor heart rate, respiration and use of muscles for athletes today are likely to be put to use monitoring the health of the elderly in the future.
“Wherever you go, your clothes will take care of a lot of stuff,” Carle says. “If you have a heart attack and fall down, your underwear will call 911.”
Here are seven technological advances that could aid aging Americans in the future:
Self-driving cars. Having to give up driving is something all seniors fear, since being behind the wheel is key to maintaining independence. Google is already testing self-driving cars, which use sensors to evaluate the environment around them and software to handle the actual driving. The cars are still in the experimental stage, but Carle predicts they will be widely available within a decade. “That’s just in time for the next boomers to turn 75,” Carle says. “Self-driving cars are one of the best things that will happen for older adults. Once you give up driving, you’re a prisoner in your own home.”
Edema socks. These socks, based on technology by the Danish company Ohmatex, can detect and notify wearers of swollen feet and edema, which is often a sign of health ailments or other health problems.
SmartSox for people with diabetes. University of Arizona researchers are testing SmartSox, which use fiber optics to detect excessive pressure, heat and misplaced joint angles that could cause foot ulcers. This is useful because people with diabetes often lose sensation in their feet and can’t always feel such changes.
Shoes that deter falls. Researchers have determined that vibrating shoe insoles can improve the wearers’ balance and stability, making a fall 70 percent less likely. While a study determined the product was useful, no company is manufacturing this wearable technology yet.
Shirts that administer CPR. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is working on creating a shirt that would sense a heart attack and administer CPR, Carle says. While he estimates such a shirt is 15 years away, shirts with sensors are already on the market, used primarily by athletes.
Nurse robots. Researchers have been experimenting for years with robots that would have enough artificial intelligence to work as health care aides. The robots might issue medication reminders as well as transmit data to family and health care providers. Robot caregivers will be tested next year in England, Greece and Poland.
Smart homes with voice controls. Smart home technology that uses sensors, apps or computers is already in use, but it has not been widely adopted. Researchers are working on improving voice-recognition systems so smart home programs can be operated by voice. That will be a boon to older residents who don’t use computers or have trouble seeing small screens. “It’s actually not about robots,” Carle says. “Your home will be smart. Instead of Rosie the robot, we will talk to our homes. … You tell your Roomba to go vacuum. You won’t have to set it or program it or read a manual.”
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7 Tech Advances That Will Change Seniors’ Lives originally appeared on usnews.com
