Walking Cane Gets New Technology To Help The Elderly

As we look at the aging population here in the US, the need for technology to assist them in the future is looking very good. Soon, the days of wearing a locket around the neck to press a button to summon help are going to be replaced by much newer technology. Take something as simple as the cane which you see so many people using for balance as they walk about. Even that has the ability for technology to be associated with it to help those who are in need.

Fujistu is working on the New Generation Cane which was shown at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. And with the future becoming closer, we are going to soon see a day where those who are retired can take advantage of technology not available to them today. The idea of a simple cane being something more than it is will soon leverage technology to help those who are older make there way in the world.

The New Generation Cane will be able to do a multitude of things. The most basic functions will be using GPS to help them navigate to a location and back again while walking. With built in WiFi connectivity, LED lights can represent the direction they are to go in the shape of an arrow. Making the process very simple for getting around. But, these advanced technology canes will include even more.

The handle will have sensors in it to monitor your body, such as keeping track of the heart rate for the person as they are walking. It also can keep track of the location of the cane and the temperature of that location, passing it to someone else who may be monitoring the retired person. There are even plans for a cellular radio to be included. That would provide for the ability to talk between the location of the cane and person to someone at home. A great way to keep tabs on someone.

Now for some of the things they have to work on with this. The first is the LED lights which will display the direction via GPS. In the outdoors and bright lights, they are going to be tough to read as currently shown. Obviously that can be improved. The other is the same thing plaguing smartphone owners, the battery. The current model has a battery life of 2-3 hours which is no where close to what this needs to be. Very few people who are retired are out and about for only a few hours. It is generally for the day that they are gone, so this is going to need to significantly improve.

The future for leveraging technology for the retired set of people has a bright future and this cane is just one example.