With a camera unit over his left ear conveying visual information to a helper, the user can ask what the shirts look like. (Courtesy of AIST) MOBILE PHONES TO THE RESCUE: Gadgets Used to Help Elderly and Disabled People December 18, 2001 Mobile telephones are used a lot by the young and by businesspeople as a means of communication. Research is now being carried out on using them to provide support for the elderly and the disabled in their daily lives. The trend toward barrier-free facilities, as seen in efforts to improve access to public buildings and transport, is helping to create an environment in which elderly and disabled people are more able to get out and about. But with Japan currently experiencing the triple trends of nuclear families, fewer children, and an aging population, providing the sort of support and care that vulnerable relatives need to get around safely is a hard task for many families. Appeals for this burden to be alleviated are growing stronger. Efforts to support elderly and disabled people outside their homes through the use of mobile phones represent one attempt to respond to these calls. Surrogate Eyes The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Rehabilitation Center for the Physically and Intellectually Handicapped have jointly developed a system that enables visually impaired people to get prompt help using a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) phone, a type of mobile phone used in Japan. A video camera about the size of a pencil records what is happening around the person as a moving image complete with sound, and this is transmitted via the PHS using specially developed software to a helper in a remote location. The video camera and built-in microphone and speaker take the form of glasses or earphones, so they are quite unobtrusive when worn. A helper offers guidance on the basis of what he sees on the computer screen. (Courtesy of AIST) There are times in the course of visually impaired people's everyday lives when "sight" is essential--when searching for something, when they have lost their bearings after bumping into a person or object, or to check that they have received the correct change in a shop, for example. Hitherto the helper has had to accompany the disabled person, placing a heavy burden on both, but this new system means helpers can assist visually impaired people without physically accompanying them. When "eyes" are needed, the disabled person can send the image of his or her surroundings and tell the helper what the problem is. The helper can see the situation and can immediately speak to the person to give advice. Drinking Tea: A Sign That Nothing Is Wrong In March 2001 Zojirushi Corp., a leading maker of vacuum flasks and electric pots, introduced a service whereby people can ascertain the safety and well-being of elderly parents living on their own. Electric pots are used to heat up and maintain the temperature of water. The version used for the Zojirushi service contains a wireless transmitter, and whenever the pot is switched on or hot water is drawn from it (to make tea, for example), the action is automatically reported by means of a digital wireless signal to the PC or mobile phone of the concerned relative. As long as these signals are being received, the recipient can be confident that the user of the electric pot is not in difficulty. The service is popular with the elderly people who use it because it provides reassurance to their families without their receiving repeated telephone calls or being monitored by a camera. The fees for the service are a one-off charge of ¥15,000 ($115 at ¥130 to the dollar) at the beginning and then ¥3,000 ($23) per month.   Your Name What did you think of this article? It was interesting. It was boring. Send this article to a friend Targeting Help by GPS Secom Co. runs a 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year service providing positional information on elderly people through GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites and mobile-phone base stations and going to their assistance in an emergency. Elderly people can sometimes lose their bearings when out and about. This service provides them with a miniature terminal to be carried with them wherever they go so that they can be located if they get into difficulty. Their families are able to ascertain their position online via a mobile phone or PC Internet connection. In addition, when requested by the family, Secom's emergency personnel can hurry to where a lost person is and help them out. The service is attractively priced, with a one-off payment of ¥7,000 ($54) to join the scheme and cover the cost of the necessary equipment and a fee of ¥500 ($3.85) per month after that. GPS signals often cannot be received when indoors or in moving cars. But this system operates even in such situations, by using signals from mobile-phone base stations. It can locate people with an accuracy of 20 to 50 meters in built-up city areas and as low as 5 meters in suburban areas. Copyright (c) 2001 Japan Information Network. Edited by Japan Echo Inc. based on domestic Japanese news sources. Articles presented here are offered for reference purposes and do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Japanese Government.