Intel's experimental baby (and grandma) monitors

As if Microsoft's creepy bears and wall clocks weren't enough, now Intel is getting their Orwell on unveiling experimental (read: don't sue us yet) systems to monitor the very young and very old. First, a baby monitoring system consisting of a mattress lined with a series of sensors and video camera hidden in a teddy bear (of course) which sends a child's heart rate, temperature, pattern of movement data and video and still photos to the anxious parent's PC. Second, a house where every item is RFID (of course) tagged allowing a remote console to monitor whether the TV was turned on or a spoon was moved. One supposed benign use of this would be to track medicine bottles of the elderly - if they moved during the day then it is likely that grandma took her meds (or was doping the cat). We won't even go into the WiFi tracking of personnel because, quite honestly…shhh, they are watching us. Right. Now.

[Jon @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

First Poster AGAIN.

[jands @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

What I need... whats more important to me, is a guarantee that I wont catch granda and granpa "knocking-boots" with their newly prescribed viagra.

[Dan @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

If most babies are like my little brother and sister were, then that teddy bear camera ain't lasting five minutes.

And will this stuff really be any better than simply checking on the kids? I can see something to prevent SIDS or something but having to know if the TV was turned on? Seems a little over-bearing...

[lupinstel @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Hopefully the elderly will still be fiesty enough to kick the ass of the person who wants to monitor their every move.

[LRHB @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Yes, exactly what we need, non-invasive technology to help separate the parent from their child. Now we can avoid that pesky early developmental comfort the child gets when their parent physically comes to check on them! Wahoo!

Chalk one more up for our future robot masters.

[Jay @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Hey Dan,
Interesting that you mentioned SIDS monitors. There actually is a website that markets a movement sensor....but it doesn't have a camera atached.http://www.firstalittletlc.com

[Linda Bunk @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

All crib death infants are a select few infants that are blood type (A). It is most common there is also one parent that is also blood type (A) that has two consecutive dreams as Joseph did in the Old Testament and/or visions like the Revelation prophet John. In Africe SIDS is called Abiku or Ogbanje and is believed to occure from a parent that is into whitch craft or some other form of spiritism. SIDS is a Christ prophecy that is Revelation foretold. You can find more on this by puting "Making the AIDS SIDS Tribe of Levi Connection" into your search engine.