Engineering Student seeking advice

[markyy]

Hi everyone,

I am currently an engineering student at University and would like to seek the inputs of everyone regarding a dementia project I am working on.

I am currently in the midst of developing a tracking device that could be attached to the shoe in an inconspicuous way, and one of the key features I am trying to go for is to make it require as little charging as possible.

Would such a product be of interest to your loved ones that are still active but risk getting lost outside?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. I hope that I would be able to develop something that would be beneficial to the community.

Thanks!

 

[nitram]

There are many tracking devices available both with and without geofencing.

They are on bracelets, watches, pendants, which with sufficient luck the PWD (person with dementia) can be persuaded to wear all the time.

A problem with a device on a shoe is that it has to be on a specific shoe that the PWD is wearing when they go walk abouts, in practice this could be a bedroom slipper on one foot and any outdoor shoe on the other.

Glad that you are considering how to help PWDs and equally sorry to be so downbeat, the world of dementia is very remote from the normal person's world.

 

[Hair Twiddler]

Hi markyy, Like your idea of a geofencing device for people with dementia who wander and become lost. I do agree with Nitram that "guaranteeing" which pair of footwear the person might be wearing is a real real-life problem . However, picking up on your "little charging as possible" comment - your concentration in this area would be fantastic. Energy packs are expensive, big, cumbersome and require attention to maintain ... not attributes that a person with dementia can necessarily turn their hand to every day. Cracking the energy pack issue making it simple and cheap would be a real ground breaker - maybe not "sexy" (or easy) but a real winner for cash strapped users and carers.