This week, Vayyar Imaging, a player in 3D sensor imaging technology, announced the launch of Walabot HOME, a senior care smart home device.
Walabot HOME is designed for fall detection without the use of wearables, through the use of low-power radio wave technology similar to Wi-Fi. Avoiding the need for cameras, the system allows users to maintain their privacy, especially in high fall risk areas like the bathroom, and continue being monitored in conditions where cameras struggle, such as in steamy rooms and behind curtains. When falls are detected, Walabot HOME automatically places a call for help.
The CDC estimates that 29 million individuals over the age of 65 experience falls that contribute to 7 million injuries annually. While services and solutions for fall help do exist, they often require the user to wear something on their body, like a pendant.Walabot HOME functions more similarly to a smoke detector that operates in the background and discreetly monitors users at all times. In the event a fall has not occurred but the user still needs to place an emergency call, Walabot HOME also includes the more traditional functionality of having a button that can be pushed to immediately contact help.
Walabot Home is the flagship product in Vayyar’s new line of smart home devices. CEO Raviv Melamed, who Medgadget spoke to earlier this year, said, "People want to feel comfortable in their homes without the burden of needing to wear a pendant or medical alert device, but they still want the security of knowing that they can get help if they need it. Walabot HOME is so effective because people can set it up and then relax, feeling secure in the knowledge it’s there just in case."