GPS-equipped walkers promise to keep elderly patients on track

We've already seen GPS used to track elderly patients, but some student researchers now look to be taking the idea one step further, with them outfitting some nursing center patients' walkers with a GPS system that helps guide them around. While the exact technical details are a bit unclear, the system apparently uses GPS when the patients are out and about, and relies on a WiFi-based system to direct 'em around inside the nursing center itself. The entire system has also obviously been about as simplified as possible, with it boasting just five buttons and large arrows pointing the way to the patients' destination. As a student project, however, it's still quite a ways from gaining any widespread use, although it has apparently been at use at the one nursing center their testing it at for several months already. Let's just hope folks don't take to relying on it too much -- we all know where that can lead.

[Thanks, Jack]

[Superprime @ Feb 28th 2008 3:25PM]

Till they turn right onto some railroad tracks or into a ditch

[Eliot @ Feb 28th 2008 3:47PM]

Yes, I can't wait for the first "Octogenarian blindly follows GPS, gets walker wedged in farm lane"

[Curtis the Claw Game Master V2 @ Feb 28th 2008 4:03PM]

I dunno, around where I live I always see old people strolling down the freeway oblivious to what's around them. Maybe this will occupy them since they won't know how to turn it on.

[DigDug @ Feb 28th 2008 3:25PM]

Now people have an actual reason to rob them.

[Phil @ Feb 28th 2008 3:31PM]

"Please make a u-turn at your earliest convenience."
"What?!"

This may actually be a good thing. I feel much safer with the elderly piloting their walkers instead of 2 ton vehicles...or rather 3 ton, since they're mostly Cadillacs.

[Neil @ Feb 28th 2008 3:39PM]

Ah how far are you really going to be walking if you need a walker to get around???

[jmiday @ Feb 28th 2008 3:44PM]

'the day room is to the left'

[shoeshine @ Feb 28th 2008 5:03PM]

You know, you'd be surprised. My sister is a social worker, and almost every day a senior will just disappear. They wander. Especially if they have dimensia, which is what I'd assume this is being designed for.

[Nabil @ Feb 28th 2008 3:44PM]

Wow, I've never seen a stronger reason for GPS, than this. Now our seniors can travel from the doors of walmart to the walmart parking lot, without getting lost.

If only we can get them a car that drives itself, so they can stop getting themselves in so many accidents, and go a little faster than 20 mph in a 50 mph zone.

[Senor_Tom @ Feb 28th 2008 3:47PM]

Your homer pic totally fitted your tone:D
And I agree completely

[SimonRichards @ Feb 28th 2008 4:10PM]

http://money.cnn.com/2007/02/14/magazines/business2/cars_automated.biz2/index.htm

[Nabil @ Feb 28th 2008 3:46PM]

After this, I'm going to do a living will that will explicitly instruct my children to shoot if I get to a point where I need a GPS assisted walker.

[Adam @ Feb 28th 2008 3:48PM]

I wonder how many Seniors with get wedged in a narrow hallway because of these things?

[josh @ Feb 28th 2008 4:02PM]

"HELP! I'm stuck up here in the AC Vent!"

[Richard Lai @ Feb 28th 2008 3:49PM]

What if the patients crawl away?

[dajimmers @ Feb 28th 2008 3:50PM]

The pic makes it look like the orderly is chasing him down. Luckily, his GPS is trying to help him out: it's analyzed the situation and the only option is to turn right and JUMP!

[M @ Feb 28th 2008 3:58PM]

yes, because we know how far and how quickly elderly patients can go.

[Neon Jebus (McElroy Defense Force) @ Feb 28th 2008 4:02PM]

I want to say I love the idea but I can't help wonder how they are to use the device. I mean, sure a few may figure out how to input an address. I'm sure you have a big panic button to get them back home if they don't know where they are.

I think about my grandfather who was pretty mobile in his old age but needed a walker only for stability. He could move a LONG distance and often did, until he had to get a ride home from the grocery store because he couldn't remember how to get home.

Then again, knowing how against electronics my grandfather was he would have thought the voice was 'The Devil'. Just like he would tell me what was inside the arcade machine at the grocery store.

[Curtis the Claw Game Master V2 @ Feb 28th 2008 4:06PM]

People with walkers wander all around where I live, it's crazy.

[Nick @ Feb 28th 2008 4:16PM]

Until they get robbed...

[coffee @ Feb 28th 2008 4:25PM]

They might know where they are, but they still won't know WHO they are.

[DT @ Feb 28th 2008 4:27PM]

Well if there were ever two things that go together well, it's seniors and the latest satellite technology!

[däniel @ Feb 28th 2008 4:34PM]

why is he taking a left turn when the arrow is pointing to the right?

[r3loaded @ Feb 28th 2008 5:46PM]

The same reason that you often see senior drivers indicating left and turning right I suppose.

[Mike @ Feb 28th 2008 4:50PM]

Did anyone even read the article? It's for getting around INSIDE the Nursing home. Not for use outside to walk around.

I think it's great. Especially for people with Alzheimer's who might start out for a destination and forget where they were going.

[Sredlums @ Feb 28th 2008 4:59PM]

All jokes aside, let me clear some things up.
I live in The Netherlands, where these students are from also, and this was on the news the other day here.
What is not mentioned is that this is a system for indoor-use only, and only for elderly people who have trouble finding their way around the elderly-house (what's that called in English?).
So people with allzheimer and the likes can just push some big buttons leading them to the loo, the restaurant, their room etc. (or the bar?).
So it's not for regular old people to help them find the grocery store,and they don't have to type in an address.
By the way, judging from the news I saw, it didn't do a very good job at it.

[MadMax08 @ Feb 29th 2008 2:42PM]

just fyi: in english (in america) we usually refer to them as nursing homes. or, more casually, the "old folk's home"

[George @ Feb 28th 2008 6:05PM]

this is very cool, imagine voice activation text to speech on it like the tomtom go 720....

[PC @ Feb 28th 2008 6:30PM]

Result: 1,000,000 (that's 1.000.000 to you euros) percent increase in stolen walkers.

[Rick @ Feb 28th 2008 7:23PM]

No to joke, but something like this modified could greatly help Alzheimer's patients I think. So they don't get lost, and maybe have some time of contact info and directions if they suddenly forget where they are.

[Kevin C. Tofel @ Feb 28th 2008 7:40PM]

Nice use for a Fujitsu Stylistic slate Tablet PC too. That device alone makes the walker worth over two-grand.

[merijn @ Feb 29th 2008 3:37AM]

Hey Guys this is not GPS, but Wifi controlled.

Here is a dutch news-item about Tomtom where you can see the thing work.
http://www.rtl.nl/(vm=/actueel/rtlnieuws/home/)/system/video/html/components/actueel/rtlnieuws/miMedia/2008/week08/do_1930_tomtom.avi_plain.xml

[stromm @ Feb 29th 2008 8:34AM]

I can just see the news now "Steve Adams, 85, died while crossing the street. Reports have it that he had just started using his new GPS mapping equiped walker. Police believe that he was too focused on the map and didn't see the truck coming."