Published on December 02, 2005

Thanks to a new development called the Accident Monitoring Mobile Appliance (Amma) from the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec), those who must leave their elderly relatives alone at home or in hospital will have greater peace of mind.

Wattanasit Pimpao, an assistant researcher at Nectec, said Amma was a new device aimed at helping those elderly who must be left alone at home while their children go out to work.

The pocket-sized device consists of three main components – an accelerometer that measures the movement of objects, a micro-controller and a GSM module.

The sensor quickly captures the movement if the carrier of the device falls, and the device then transmits an alert to a capable person that assistance may be required.

The micro-controller also sends information or an SMS to a relative’s mobile phone, so help can be sent to the patient on time.

“Amma will automatically call relatives or a hospital, so the patient can receive assistance,” said Wattanasit.

He added that the device also came with a memory that can record patient information for around 2,000 days, in order to evaluate their state of health.

“Amma will improve the quality of life for the elderly, because it can ensure prompt medical assistance in the event of an accident,” said Wattanasit.

Nectec has completed a prototype device and is expected to find a private-sector partner to eventually develop the product for commercial use.

jirapan@nationgroup.com

Jirapan Boonnoon

The Nation

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