Singapore's SATA CommHealth launches airbag vest and high-tech room for elderly
The vest deploys during falls to protect the seniors, while the room helps them control the conditions they live in
Falling down for seniors can be a nightmare, but a pilot program from SATA CommHealth may help with that.
The Singapore-based non-profit charitable healthcare organisation will be testing the YDB Airbag Vest in a pilot program will begin in the next one to two months, and participants will be chosen from those undergoing rehabilitation.
This vest deploys in 0.18 seconds the moment it detects a fall, and features a six- to eight-hour battery life, after which you have to charge it again before wearing. Made by China's Yidaibao, the vest provides 360 degrees of protection for falls (including front and side), and is reusable for up to 10 times.
When deployed, the 980-gram air bag covers the head, shoulders, back, chest, tail bones, and hip joints. There's a loud bang when it happens, as the bag uses a gunpowder cartridge to inflate almost instantaneously. The one-use cartridges cost US$40 for a pair, while the vest itself is around US$420.
A spokesperson for SATA CommHealth told Yahoo Southeast Asia that while the vest isn't cheap at US$420, the protection it provides massively offsets the the surgical costs needed for broken bones, especially at an advanced age.
Besides the vest, SATA CommHealth also showcased a smart-enabled home for upcoming seniors - the current generation that's aging and comfortable with technology - in a launch event graced by Tan Chuan-Jin, Speaker of the Parliament.
Dubbed the Room for Practical Innovation for Elders (PIE), it uses Google Home Assistant to control lighting and curtains, has a smart door lock, heart-rate sensors for when you're sleeping, and a smart pillbox among other things. You can also tell the assistant to set up scenes such as when you come home or are going to bed.
There are also built-in fall sensors which, together with the heart-rate sensor, are linked to a command centre, allowing caregivers to intervene if needed. Other features of the smart home include a height-adjustable kitchen counter, allowing wheelchair-bound users to cook and wash dishes at a lower height.
While the PIE showroom costs around S$10,000 to set up, a more modest setup will probably set you back by S$2,000 to S$3,000. The public can visit the PIE at SATA CommHealth's facility in Chai Chee from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
"This is SATA CommHealth's first step in implementing integrated living for individuals who are wheelchair bound and living with other abled family members," said Zubaidah Yusoff, SATA CommHealth's assistant director of community programmes.
"The primary objective of this introduction is to gauge interest, especially with our height adjustable kitchen being the first of its kind in Singapore. We are optimistic that this showcase will pique interest and promote further adoption of practical innovation for elders."
Aloysius Low is an ex-CNET editor with more than 15 years of experience. He's really into cats and is currently reviewing products at canbuyornot.com
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