Research Project
6211442
The proposed innovation is an inexpensive Visible Light Minder System (VLMS) that provides tracking and minding information to dementia and Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers. The system makes it possible for individual lighting fixtures in a building to transmit their own unique code and signal so that the location of the user will be known from the light falling on his/her Personal Minder and Tracker (PM/T) sensor. The patient receives guidance and stimulation from the PM/T based on his/her location. Signals sent to the attendants station transmit the exact position of each patient and send intervention alerts when appropriate. This proposal seeks funding to demonstrate the VLMS concept by l) developing a transmitter capable of providing data to the PM/T via ambient light as well as a high quality PM/T that will give guidance messages to patients and communicate patient position and intervention alerts to caregivers and 2) testing and verifying the system with dementia and Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: A new inexpensive technology for tracking and minding dementia and Alzheimer's patients will be developed, consisting of modified ballast transformers to modulate output of light fixtures and personal minder and tracker devices (PM/T) to supply guidance information to patients and location and warning information to caregivers. Commercial products will be the modified ballast transformers, the personal minder and tracker devices and the design of the information transfer system.
