[privacy] Portable Devices That Help Monitor Older Drivers on the Road

["Richard M. Smith" <rms () bsf-llc com>]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115153502954893534.html?mod=todays_us_person
al_journal
 

Portable Devices That Help Monitor Older Drivers on the Road

By JENNIFER SARANOW
June 29, 2006; Page D6


What Is It: As baby boomers age, the number of elderly drivers is growing
and so too are concerns about them behind the wheel. The Insurance Institute
for Highway Safety estimates that people 65 and older will make up 22% of
licensed drivers in 2030, up from 14% in 1999. As drivers age, deteriorating
vision and slowing reflexes may make quick driving decisions harder for
some. In response, companies are coming out with portable monitoring devices
that can help give caregivers peace of mind when elderly drivers are on the
road.

 [Exmovere's wristwatch monitors vital signs and 10 emotional states.]
<http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/images/PJ-AI077_REINVE_2006062819324
8.jpg>  
Exmovere's wristwatch monitors vital signs and 10 emotional states.     

How to Get It: This week, Exmovere LLC unveiled a Bluetooth-enabled
wristwatch embedded with sensors that monitor certain vital signs of the
wearer (including heart rate and sweat levels), movement and 10 emotional
states (agitation, for example, would be signaled by a high heart rate, low
heart-rate variability and high sweat level). The Exmocare device, at
www.exmocare.com
<javascript:OpenWin('http://www.exmocare.com','','','','na+me+lo+sc+re+st+&apos;,
true,0,0,true);void('')> , monitors the wearer at home and elsewhere by
transmitting data every 30 minutes via a home computer, cellphone or a
GPS-enabled personal digital assistant that mounts on the car dashboard. A
caregiver can receive alerts either by instant message, text message or
email about physiological readings outside the ordinary for the wearer (like
an erratic heart beat) and emotional states (for instance, if the watch
wearer has felt agitated for a prolonged period). On the road, the device
can even tell where the wearer is located, if he or she exits a certain zone
or is driving over or under a certain speed. Gemini Technologies LLC
(www.geminitracking.com
<javascript:OpenWin('http://www.geminitracking.com','','','','na+me+lo+sc+re
+st+',true,0,0,true);void('')> ) recently launched a personal GPS-tracking
device that can be used as a cellphone and provides caregivers with its
exact location. Caregivers can request locations online or via cellphone and
get alerts if the device travels outside a certain area. Later this summer,
the company plans to begin providing information about how fast the device
is moving. A number of other companies like Alltrack USA
(www.alltrackusa.com
<javascript:OpenWin('http://www.alltrackusa.com','','','','na+me+lo+sc+re+st
+',true,0,0,true);void('')> ) offer similar products that are geared at
monitoring teenagers, but could also be used for tracking older drivers.
Others like Road Safety International Inc. (www.roadsafety.com
<javascript:OpenWin('http://www.roadsafety.com','','','','na+me+lo+sc+re+st+
',true,0,0,true);void('')> ) offer products that record information about
the vehicle like speed or braking, but don't provide the data to caregivers
in real time.

Upside: The new products may make it easier to prevent an accident, and find
an older loved one when something goes wrong. Gemini Technologies' device
has a panic button that sends alerts to two predetermined phone numbers when
pressed. Similarly, Exmovere's PDA for the car has an "SOS button" the
driver can activate to reach a caregiver. With both products, the caregiver
can go online to see where the watch wearer is located.

Downside: It could be hard to persuade loved ones to wear monitoring
devices. The Exmocare system can't measure when crashes occur because it
doesn't monitor features of the vehicle itself like air-bag deployment. It
also can't monitor a driver's upper-body movements or detect whether the
driver is drowsy, or has breathing problems, for instance. The wearer must
stay within range of a receiver.

Cost: Most come with subscription plans. Exmovere charges $750 extra for the
in-car PDA kit, unless you opt for the 36-month subscription plan, which
costs an upfront $3,303 (that includes the $99 watch and prepaid cellphone).
The cheapest subscription, for six months, runs $1,193, not including a
phone or car kit. Gemini's device runs about $250 plus a $19.95 to $44.95
monthly subscription, with the cost depending on how many times caregivers
want to access location information.

Comment: Exmocare says its product is designed for older people and can't be
used for other age groups like teenagers. That's because the algorithms used
to determine emotions are specific for people 65 and older and age groups
differ in how they show emotions.

Write to Jennifer Saranow at jennifer.saranow () wsj com

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