Our Longevity Explorers have been brainstorming about what they want Smart Homes, Artifical Intelligence (AI), Robots, and the Internet of Things to do for them in the future.
We have generated lots of ideas we hope innovators will find helpful as they design new products and services. And we have been evaluating a variety of new products and sharing what we learn.
My Mom jumps up to answer the doorbell every time it rings. I worry about two things. I worry she opens the door to strangers without knowing who they are. I worry she does not always hear the doorbell and might miss out on someone she actually wants to talk to.
Here are two solutions (plus detailed “how to” instructions).
My father-in-law lives with family who both work, leaving him alone at home for several hours per day. He is 93, legally blind and practically deaf. We knew we needed some tech to help remote family members comfortable. Getting a smart door lock was a no brainer. Caregiver family can remotely open it for visitors, … Read more
Are you looking for a way to setup video chats with your loved one who lives independently or in a facility? This article tells you how to do that, using the Echo Show, without requiring your loved one to do any of the “setting up”. New to This Topic? This is a Deep-dive … Read more
We're now on day two of having Echo Show up and running at my home in Minnesota, and my Mom's home in Texas. Initially, I was concerned that I would have to walk my decidedly not-techie sister-in-law through setting up Alexa on someome's phone in order to take advantage of the bluetooth setup aspects. Thankfully, … Read more
As we socially distance during this time of stress, it is only natural for each of us to think about & be thankful for our true blessings, our family, friends, & the many things in the world around us that make life worth living. Some of you may write these down in a journal. About … Read more
About a year ago, my wife and I were on a Facetime call with my son and his family who are far away in Tennessee. Two grandsons crowded to be seen on the iPhone screen while the third grandson sat on his dad's lap. Due to the close quarters, when the little fellow lept up excitedly … Read more
Now that we are all “sheltering in place”, finding ways to interact virtually with people from our homes has rocketed up people’s priority list. We have had quite a few emails now from people wanting to know the best way to have video calls with their family and friends. Here are some thoughts to help … Read more
We think artificial intelligence, smart home technologies, and robots have the potential to enable older adults to live independently for longer, and have better quality of life than they would without these gadgets. We are evaluating products as they come to market, and sharing what we learn about which products are best for … Read more
Retired physician, Dr Bob Kolock, shares his new “hobby”: Alexa Skills Developer. He describes how he came to be interested in Alexa, and describes some of the 13 skills he has developed. Many of these skills are useful for older adults, and Dr. Kolock’s perspective from “both sides of the stethoscope” makes them especially intriguing.