ideal for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
People living with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease they are prone to stress and agitation when they cannot communicate what they need or want. In the most extreme cases they may even become aggressive against those who care for them and against themselves.
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To predict these cases and prevent unnecessary worry for people with Alzheimer’s disease, British Milbotix and Catalan Unimedia Technology joined forces to develop SmartSox. Equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) software and linked to mobile apps, these socks monitor patient stress and alert caregivers to any changes.
Thanks to the application, you can find out whether the patient needs help, and thereby prevent his aggressiveness. For this reason, both companies assure, this project represents “Before and After in monitoring patients’ condition and well-being.
How do SmartSocks work?
These smart socks They use a series sensors pre-implanted into tissue. They are capable of measure heart ratesweat, temperature and movement of those wearing them.
Sensors that connect wirelessly to application which control them, provide information about a person’s status in real time. In this way, it alerts caregivers at times when verbal communication is a problem or when episodes of anxiety are unexpected.
Zeke Steere, the creator of Milbotics, who came up with the original idea, explains in a statement to the BBC that “this invention aims to make life easier people with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or even autism and their caregivers.
Steere also assures the British media that The feet are “the best place to measure stress.” Additionally, Unimedia Technology explains that because it is an everyday part of patients’ lives, “they are less likely to be removed, resulting in widespread acceptance of the device” and fewer failures compared to other portable monitoring systems.
The ultimate goal of this invention,” explains Jaume Vidal, CEO of the Catalan technology company, “is to promote patient independence.”allowing them to live at home longer“.
These smart socks They’re like any socks that patients can have in their closet: they feel and look exactly the same. They are also machine washable, making them easy to use and care for.
A very personal story
Steer came up with these smart socksThis happened when Alzheimer’s disease came knocking on the door of his family home. Her great-grandmother Kat began to show the first symptoms of dementia, and gradually her entire personality changed.
Kat became an aggressive and anxious person and even accused her daughter of stealing from her. It was at this point that Steer decided to jump into action and explore how artificial intelligence could predict the behavior of Kat and all dementia patients.
Alzheimer’s disease in Spain
In Spain they 800,000 people are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease according to the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN). The same organization estimates that by 2050 the number of people with dementia will reach one million.