AIPatHome.com Tech Advisor Laurie Orlov attended the 2009 Consumer Electronic Show and identified the following products as having an interesting appeal to the boomer and beyond market:
Audéo — identified as a personal care assistant, from Swiss hearing aid company Phonak Group, this is a stylish hearing aid, probably designed for young people, but could make wearing a hearing aid far more appealing to seniors. Available in multiple colors and styles that use two digital microphones to filter out room noise.
ClearSounds — a line of telephones for hearing-impaired from a woman-owned Illinois company. Includes amplified telephones, neckloops for cell phone users, portable phone amplifiers, wireless TV headsets and alarm clocks. Tag-line: “Hear how good life can be.”
Doro — a line of attractively designed phones for seniors. Land line phones have light-weight receivers for those who find traditional phones too heavy, uncomplicated mobile handsets with good “easy-grip” buttons, FM radio and speaker phone. Doro also has amplfied products. Tagline: “makes life easier”.
Vidtel — Just launched. A video phone and service combined. Receive audio and video messages, video requires another Vidtel user (like D-Link), uses the Internet connection, no PC required, ability to zoom in and zoom out, see both sides of the conversation on your screen. Tagline: “Video calling made easy.”
Myine Electronics — Just launched. Commercial-free FM radio, Wi-fi Internet radio, “manufactures high-quality electronic audio products that make music accessible to consumers with limited time or technological sophistication.”
IngeniumCare — Not yet launched. Colorado-based Home monitoring solution of wireless sensors configured through the home that tracks and monitors health status and activities. Partnered with Control4 home automation controller, as well as a wireless touch screen, wireless network camera, and wireless motion sensor. Also will incorporate wearable pendant/badget with fall detection and geo-location.
HaloMonitoring — Just launched. Wearable personal emergency response system with fall detection that sends an alert without prompting by the wearer, via phone, e-mail, or text message. Tag-line: “Independence redefined.”
MedSignals — Woman-owned business electronic pillbox and reminder container with 4 bins for 4 drugs (also has a multi-pack option), displays messages, including food warnings. No internet-required, it can be configured directly or through the web, connecting statuses to the web by auto-dialing an 800-number.
GenerationOne — Mobile, customized personal health solution, this is a telephone-based personal health management network, enabling consumers to use the phone network to help manage their own chronic conditions through employer health plans and with their healthcare provider networks. Tagline: “Manage Your Health, Don’t Let it Manage You.”
HeartMath — Makes the emWave Personal Stress Reliever (PSR), a winner in the CES “Last Gadget Standing” competition, works when you “place your thumb on the sensor or attach the ear sensor. After your pulse is detected a breathing pacer synchronizes to your heart rhythms, enabling you to reach a higher level of coherence.”
For updates to this article please go to Laurie Orlov’s blog
Great new products! As an author of “Making Your Home Senior-Friendly”, I am always searching for awesome new ideas!
Our flagship product the Allen Pole is Geriatrician Invented and meets four benchmarks: No moving parts, mimics biomechanics, promotes fluidity and leveraging of movement, and meets FDA Work Safety Group Guidelines. See our product on Boomercaretech.com.