Panic button for the elderly. Panic Button for the Elderly Scenario Panic Button for the Elderly

From this article you will learn:

    What does a panic button look like for the elderly

    Who is entitled to a free alarm bracelet for the elderly

    Where and how much to buy a panic button for an elderly person

    How to make such an alarm button yourself

Russia has approximately 40 million elderly people and approximately 13 million people with disabilities. These are elderly people, often with disabilities and various serious diseases. Elderly people should definitely have a chance to call for emergency help. Such tasks are carried out thanks to panic buttons for the elderly or alarm bracelets for the elderly.

Free panic button for the elderly and other "lifeguard" gadgets

In Moscow, it is planned to equip the elderly and disabled with a simple technical device called a panic button. Prior to this, the “panic button” service was provided only to war veterans left without the care of relatives. Externally, the device "panic button" does not differ from the usual mobile phone. Pressing one of the buttons on this device will immediately connect an elderly person with the dispatchers of the capital's House of Veterans. The competence of the dispatcher includes making an independent decision which service to call - a fire brigade, an ambulance, a police outfit, etc. Some of these tools give a loud sound signal to attract people's attention.

In the future, the idea of ​​a “panic button” for the elderly was improved, transforming into a “panic bracelet”, reminiscent of a wristwatch, but somewhat larger. The alarm bracelet has great potential. The dispatcher monitors the elderly person in real time. Using the latest techniques, the signal from the alarm bracelet is displayed on an electronic scoreboard, making it easy to calculate the exact place to send the appropriate service in case of emergency.

Surnames, addresses, diagnoses, phone numbers of neighbors or relatives can be displayed on the screen of the dispatch service. Alarm bracelets are equipped with sensors that transmit body temperature, pressure and pulse. In the event of a fall of an elderly person, the fall sensor will work, and the dispatcher will know the exact location of the incident. The dispatcher must immediately contact the elderly person. If the elderly person does not answer, the dispatcher must call for emergency medical assistance. The alarm bracelet is also equipped with a sensor that will work if the strap is unfastened.

In the Moscow region, similar innovative technologies are being introduced to install Arkan personal rapid response devices that provide protection for the elderly and the disabled. Reutov, Istrinsky, Klinsky and Stupinsky municipal districts successfully use devices of this kind for the elderly.

The system provides round-the-clock monitoring of the health and protection of an elderly person, if necessary, promptly calling an ambulance. It should be noted that this device is provided to the elderly free of charge, thanks to the funds allocated by the regional budget. The device "Arkan" consists of a complex of technical equipment placed in the house of an elderly person or a disabled person.

The system is equipped with electrical equipment, radio equipment, signaling and starting security devices: control panels, an additional battery, blocks that transmit information, sensors that respond to door openings, an “alarm bracelet” with an emergency button. This button gives an alarm signal to the operator in the district social service.

Panic button for the elderly: where and how to get

In 2011, Moscow and St. Petersburg began to participate in the Panic Button social project. Within the framework of this project, the elderly residents of these cities, who have benefits, received the privilege to be served free of charge by the Panic Button system. The service is provided by the district Complex centers of social services. residential services for the elderly.

To receive an alarm bracelet with an emergency button, an elderly person needs to call the social service center at the place of residence, having prepared the following documents:

  • health insurance policy;

    certificate of participant or invalid of the Great Patriotic War;

    pensioner's ID;

    certificate of disability (if available).

Sometimes you need medical certificate that the provision of the "panic button" service is not contraindicated for an elderly person.

In the case when an elderly person cannot collect all the necessary certificates himself, he will need to use the help of his legal representative by issuing a power of attorney certified by a notary.

Elderly Muscovites who have benefits are given an “alarm bracelet” free of charge thanks to budgetary funds. The rest of those who wish can connect to the surveillance systems for a fee. The population often requests this service, as a result of which many organizations and firms have begun to provide the elderly with their own surveillance systems.

Panic button for the elderly: the price of a "life button"

In the West, cellular medical tracking services have been successfully operating for 30 years. the Russian Federation started promoting such projects not so long ago, but these projects turned out to be very popular. Thanks to the Life Button project, which turned out to be the first ambulance call system in Russia for the elderly and disabled, more than one life was saved.

The Life Button project was recognized as one of the 3 best startups of 2011 according to Forbes. In July, RINTECH, a member of IT Group, signed an investment agreement with the Life Button program. The project received investments in the amount of 35 million rubles. The creators of the Life Button project are planning to launch a new product on the market - a life button for children.

The Life Button device has two models. The first model is intended active people. The model looks like a phone with large buttons and a clear menu, equipped with an SOS key. It will be easy to deal with the device for any elderly person. By pressing the “saving button”, an alarm signal will immediately go to the Help Center, in which a group of doctors and psychologists are on duty around the clock. According to the alarm signal of the device, the coordinates of an elderly person are determined for the direction of assistance.

The second model is designed for sedentary people. The model has the form of a waterproof bracelet, which has an integrated SOS button and a fall sensor. Pressing the SOS panic button or an alarm signal from the fall sensor immediately goes to the Help Center. Automatic speakerphone enables the duty specialist to determine the degree of risk and, if necessary, call the elderly person for help.

It is noteworthy that all the necessary data about the owner of the "panic button" is already contained in the system's memory. Having received an alarm signal, the specialist will call relatives or neighbors whose phones the elderly person provided earlier, and also notify the ambulance doctor about important information for diseases or an allergic reaction to certain medications.

Alas, not all Russian pensioners can purchase the Life Button. The device "Life Button for Active" costs 4730 rubles, subscription service will cost 580 rubles. monthly. The “Life Button for Sedentary” device costs 9,990 rubles, subscription service will cost 990 rubles. monthly. You can buy the Life Button device, for example, in MTS stores.

If buying a panic button for the elderly is expensive for you ...

In this case, the button can be made by hand! You will need several Master Kit models. To make a panic button, stock up on three MP910 key fobs operating in the 433 MHz band.

Such transmitters need an appropriate receiver. One channel is enough to respond to a panic button. We use MP911 - a receiver for a 433 MHz remote control, operating in the "button" mode.

And in order to send a message and a call, use the MA3401 module - an autonomous GSM-SMS alarm system. This module has the advantage that it remembers 6 numbers. The device reports the loss of light in the room, calculates the air temperature in the room and has some other useful features.

After purchasing all the necessary parts, find the right box for the case.

The GSM module is powered by a lithium-ion battery, which is recharged from 5V, received from a mini-USB connector. Therefore, the MP911 receiver, designed for power from 12V, remake for power from 5V. To do this, you will need to replace the 12 Volt relay installed on the module with a 5 Volt relay and let 5V from the MA3401 go straight to the receiver decoder chip.

To avoid interference, carefully short the relay contacts in the receiver and make a neat connection to the inlet of the Button MA3401. When the relay contacts are disconnected, the response of the GSM module will be observed.

The following photos show the 5V power supply to the decoder receiver.

To place the modules in the case (or to make the regular buttons in the key fobs more visible red and rough), we recommend using one of the best friends of homemade craftsmen - a 3D printer. Let's take the printer-constructor from the Master Kit MC2. Let's draw and print racks for the case box and buttons.

Here is a device that will come out after assembly:

The remote control in the next photo (it is placed in the center) is intentionally left unfinished so that you can see the difference.

In the following video, you can see how to make a panic button for the elderly at home:

What could be better than a panic button for the elderly

In cases where panic buttons for the elderly are prohibitively expensive, the problem of the safety of the elderly can be solved in other ways, which closely monitor the movements of pensioners and immediately come to their aid when necessary.

The first of these methods is a GPS tracker developed by RusLink (WHERE IS MINE service). The mini beacon helps to determine the movements of the elderly with an accuracy of up to 5 m thanks to location tracking via GPS satellite signals.

GPS trackers immediately inform relatives over the phone when the elderly leave the house, deviate from the familiar route to the house, go beyond the borders of the area of ​​residence, and call for help by pressing the SOS alarm button on the beacon. These and other alert settings are configured in Personal accounts on the site www.gdemoi.ru. In addition, the device reminds you of the timely charging of the battery and reports the absence of feedback for a long time.

You can find out the location of the elderly and view the route of their movement on a regular computer, smartphone using the gdemoi.mobi mobile website or via an SMS command with the word “where”. Detailed electronic card with the indicated streets and house numbers will help in a matter of seconds to determine the location of the pensioner, and, if necessary, come to the rescue.

The GPS tracker has one panic button. At the moment it is pressed, the signal sign will be instantly sent to relatives in the form of an SMS or e-mail message. The text of the message will indicate the time and address where the alarm came from. You can specify any number of relatives for notification.

Basic monitoring services are free. An additional set of services will cost 7 rubles per day. The GPS tracker costs within 6600 rubles. By the way, GPS trackers can be both bought and rented, which costs 200 rubles. per day. However, today such services are available only for residents of Moscow and Yekaterinburg.

A similar service is offered by some operators mobile communications. For example, MegaFon has developed its own model of the MegaFon C1 phone, which can operate in standby mode for more than 7 days without recharging. The model is equipped with an SOS alarm button, by pressing which automatic SMS will be sent to the programmed numbers. So in an emergency, older people can urgently contact relatives.

Some time ago, the Ministry of Emergency Situations launched a free mobile program "Mobile Rescuer" designed for smartphones on iOS and Android. The application automatically finds out where the elderly person is and determines the nearest emergency services. The program is equipped with an alarm button, pressing which calls the appropriate services and at the same time notifies relatives that their relative needs help.

After downloading the free application, you need to enter the phone numbers of relatives in the list of emergency contacts: pressing the alarm button "Send SOS signal" will give them an automatic signal in the form of SMS messages. In addition, the program includes a section background information about how to act in an emergency, how to provide first aid to the elderly, which medical facilities and first responders (with their contacts) are closest.

Smartphone app stores offer several other similar apps for iOS and Android devices. For example, let's call the bSafe program, which allows elderly people to send an alarm signal to their relatives in two clicks, who, thanks to this program, have the opportunity to track the movements of their grandparents on GPS, as well as make an imitation of a “fake call” immediately or after a few minutes. This application has a premium feature in the form of a loud siren and one-click video recording.

Such a SOS-SMS program makes it possible to immediately send SMS and e-mail alerts to pre-registered phones of relatives or security departments. Message texts indicate the location of the elderly pensioner and a voice recorder that starts automatically when the program is activated. Thanks to this, relatives will be aware of what happened to their loved one, and will be able to come to his aid.

To sum up, there are many ways to help older people in an emergency. It remains only to choose the right solution in advance. "Mobile lifeguard" in the pocket has repeatedly provided assistance to the elderly. These security measures will ensure the protection of your loved one, as a result of which both he and you will become much calmer.

As the population of developed countries ages, the market for devices to monitor their health and ensure their lives at home (so many elderly people live apart from their relatives) is growing and becoming more attractive to manufacturing companies. Devices are becoming more and more, but their development is associated with certain specific difficulties.

The main difficulty of such technologies is to make them extremely easy to use, so that they do not require constant recharging, reinstallation and other technical intricacies, and also have a simple interface. And it's important, because no one likes to feel under surveillance, to use technology that does not involve direct surveillance.

Lively

Lively unveiled its personal emergency aid device in the form of a watch that combines a large button to call an ambulance, a pedometer and an app that displays reminders to take medication on time. In addition, the system is equipped with "passivity sensors" that determine whether the elderly person's usual activity has decreased and send an alarm message to relatives if the activity level drops below a certain level. And, since most old people do not have a WiFi network at home, communication is via mobile network using a home hub that supports the operation of the device at a distance of up to 300 meters from the base. The watch can also be paired with a smartphone when, for example, a person leaves the house. The developers took into account the common vision problem of their target audience - hence the use of a large button, and the watch shape of the device is also due to this generation's habit of wearing a watch on the wrist.

The system works invisibly to older users and sends a signal to relatives only if something unusual happens.

In early 2015, fall detection will be added to the device and it will instantly inform relatives or help desks about it.

The device costs $49.95 and the monitoring service costs $34.95/month.

Philips HomeSafe Wireless

Philips Lifeline offers the HomeSafe Wireless medical alarm system designed for home use by lonely seniors. Based on the same company's standard HomeSafe device, the wireless version of the system does not depend on a wired telephone at home. HomeSafe allows you to contact doctors, relatives, or anyone else who is registered as a caregiver, at any time when the user presses a button on their bracelet or "necklace", or when the device registers a fall.

HomeSafe Wireless uses a mobile communicator that connects users to their own 24/7 emergency response center, ensuring the elderly get help when they need it. HomeSafe Wireless can also include Lifeline service with AutoAlert, which initiates an automatic call to the help desk if a fall is registered and the user is unable to press the button on their device.

The device is equipped with a battery that provides 24 hours of system operation in the event of a power outage, ensuring that users are never left without medical care.

When subscribing to the service, which costs $40 - $53/month, the equipment is provided free of charge.

Touch3

GreatCall has begun offering its own Touch3 smartphone for older users, which is free from the complexities that all smart phones have and that confuse older users. They don't want to go through multiple hard-to-read screens to get to what they want. A smartphone based on a Samsung device contains only a few of the most necessary functions for older people - help, phone, camera and the ability to send a text message - which are available in one or two clicks and which are presented on the screen with large buttons.

Touch3 gives its owner access to very convenient health and safety services:

  • Access to GreatCall 5Star dedicated service staff who, when called, see the subscriber's data, including emergency contact numbers (friends, relatives, doctors), medications taken and allergies. They can assess the degree of danger of the situation and send help to an elderly person;
  • Ability to call and speak with a licensed nurse or doctor at no additional charge;

These services are available only in the United States, but almost throughout the country.

In addition, the Medcoach app, which is convenient for older people, is installed on the smartphone, designed to track the schedule of medications and initiate appropriate reminders about this.

The smartphone itself costs $169.99, and maintenance using the services mentioned above costs the user $25/month. (depending on the number of calls to services).

Interestingly, a similar project was developed by Independa, which is testing its Angela tablet, designed specifically for the elderly. The tablet uses its own graphical interface, which has brighter colors, higher contrast, and larger icons than typical consumer devices.

Angela has several preinstalled applications which, according to the company, are of interest to older people, such as e-mail, Facebook, video calls, games and puzzles. In addition, the system includes the Smart Reminders application, which allows users to set reminders for timely medication, doctor visits, and similar events. At the same time, reminders are displayed on the screen and users need to touch them in order to confirm reading. And people caring for an elderly person simultaneously receive confirmation that the reminder is understood and fulfilled.

Evermind

The Evermind system is a set of sensors that allows relatives of an elderly person to discreetly and unobtrusively monitor his vital activity.

The Evermind sensor is more like a device that we often see in home automation kits - a "smart electrical plug", i.e. an external module that provides end-to-end connection of electrical equipment to the network. In other words, the sensor is plugged into a socket and is itself a socket. If the electrical device connected to the sensor turns on or off, then Evermind captures the changes and sends the corresponding data to the manufacturer's server using its own module cellular communication. The received information is analyzed and, if necessary, a notification is sent to the smartphone of a relative or person caring for an elderly or sick person.

Older people have established habits, they eat at about the same time every day, watch TV, walk and go to bed. It is these habitual actions that are monitored, or rather, deviations from this ritual are recorded.

For example, the user connects the coffee maker to the mains through Evermind. He knows that every morning for his elderly relative begins with a cup of invigorating drink, and therefore adjusts the sensor accordingly. If during the morning the sensor does not detect the inclusion of the coffee maker, the user will receive a notification. Or vice versa, he will receive an SMS every time the equipment is launched - it all depends on the selected parameters.

At the same time, it is not required to have Internet at home, which, as a rule, the elderly do not have - all sensors have their own wireless Internet access.

There is no mobile application for Evermind, sensors are configured via a web interface. A set of three sensors will cost $199. In addition, Evermind owners are charged a monthly fee of $29 for cellular network and server usage.

And trackers are most often used to monitor vehicles or monitor people. There are compact models of beacons for covert tracking, handheld devices for outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, and GPS for the elderly, children and people with disabilities.

Why do older people need a beacon

The GPS beacon/tracker for the elderly is a means of passive protection. Elderly people with poor health can get injured while walking, shopping or on their way home. Indeed, often all relatives are busy at work and cannot accompany a relative if necessary.

In declining years, health weakens: age-related changes in the psyche are possible, as a result of which a person can lose orientation in space and get lost. If disorientation is accompanied by memory lapses, the lost person will not be able to tell others his address and even his name. Establishing the identity and searching for loved ones will take a lot of time.

Finally, he can feel unwell at any moment, lose consciousness on the street or in a public place, and relatives will not even know what happened and where to look for him.

  • 50% of older people have difficulty walking, but only 8% do not leave their apartments.
  • 33% of people over 60 fall at least once a year, and in half of the cases, falls are accompanied by serious injuries.
  • After 60 years, 10-15% develop senile dementia, and among those who have reached the age of 80, the proportion of those suffering from this disease reaches 40%.
  • In the middle stage of Alzheimer's disease, a tendency to vagrancy often appears.

GPS for the elderly will help loved ones to always be aware of his whereabouts. Such a device will save you from unnecessary worries and promptly notify you of any problems.

How the beacon works

A personal GPS tracker determines the owner's coordinates at a specified interval and sends them to a mobile phone or computer. There are asynchronous beacons that send a message with coordinates not on a schedule, but in certain situations:

  • triggering of the shock sensor (usually this happens when falling);
  • the carrier crossing the border of a geofence, which, for security reasons, he should not leave unaccompanied;
  • sending a request command to the beacon by the observer.

The data sent by the beacon makes it possible to determine the coordinates of the carrier with an accuracy of 5–15 meters.

A more convenient device is a GPS tracker for the elderly. It determines not only the coordinates at a particular point in time, but also tracks the route of movement. Since the device is in active mode all the time, it consumes more power than a beacon, which sleeps most of the time. It is important to recharge in a timely manner.

If an elderly person with a device goes far from home or falls anywhere, even in their own apartment, their loved ones will receive an alarm message and will be able to help, knowing where to go. A GPS device will help you quickly find a patient prone to vagrancy, suffering from disorientation in time and space.

Finally, many models can contact one of their relatives at the touch of a panic button.


Is the beacon dangerous to health?

Many older people are prejudiced against electronic devices, considering them a source of radiation hazardous to health. The work of a GPS beacon is indeed accompanied by electromagnetic radiation, but it is much weaker than the radiation of a mobile phone. You shouldn't be afraid of him. Permanent wearing of the device will not cause harm. But it will help to take timely measures in situations that pose a real threat to life and health.

Requirements for a beacon for the elderly

A GPS beacon for the elderly differs from car beacons, personal surveillance devices, and travel models in form and function. The main requirements that it must meet:

  • convenient form;
  • asynchronous response time - in the event of an emergency or on the command of an observer;
  • the ability to determine the geofence;
  • the presence of an alarm button for communicating with loved ones, the function of their automatic call;
  • two-way voice communication;
  • the presence of a sensor for removing from the hand (for bracelets);
  • the presence of a built-in accelerometer that activates the sending of an alarm message in the event of a fall of the owner.

Device Formats

GPS devices for monitoring and passive protection of the elderly are produced in different formats:

  • A GPS alarm with a panic button is suitable for monitoring the safety of people exclusively within the house (apartment). Such a device can be placed on the nightstand at the bedside of a bedridden patient. The alarm sends a message when the panic button is pressed and when smoke, gas, door / window opening sensors are triggered.
  • The bracelet is a convenient form, because it is difficult to lose it. Typically, such models are equipped with a hand-held sensor. The function is also relevant for children who can be forcibly taken away from a fashionable device. The minimum set of functions of a GPS bracelet: determination of coordinates, an alarm button for sending messages, calls to the numbers entered in the memory. There are also more complex models: smart watches, watch phones. They receive incoming calls and make calls, but the list of numbers is usually limited.
  • Tracker phone with identification tag and panic button. It has a wide range of functions, combining the capabilities of a full-fledged mobile phone and a tracking device. But older people often forget to take their phone with them when they leave the house.
  • Pocket - double-sided voice communication, the SOS button, the function of listening to the environment and the built-in accelerometer (fall sensor) has the same drawback as the previous solution - it can be forgotten or lost.

conclusions

Existing models of GPS trackers for the elderly are equipped with a different set of functions. Taking into account the age, the state of physical and mental health, the conditions in which the elderly person lives (alone or with relatives), it will not be difficult to choose the right solution. Such devices will help ensure the safety of the elderly during independent walks. If you do not want to annoy your loved ones with constant guardianship, remote control with a beacon will be the best solution.

Clinical psychologist, specialist in crisis assistance and psychological diagnostics, more than 10 years of experience.

Specializes in anti-crisis counseling (crisis assistance), treatment of psychosomatic disorders, neurosis, anxiety. Participates in the rehabilitation of stroke patients and also works with their relatives. Conducts pathopsychological diagnostics of the personality, the state of cognitive processes (memory, intelligence, abstract thinking, praxis), consults patients with problems of adaptation and interpersonal relationships.

More about the work of a psychologist

crisis assistance in emergency situations(illness or death of a loved one, job loss, any significant loss). Tasks: to assess psychological problems, help a person accept the situation and not go into neurosis, not succumb to depression, etc., neutralize the negative and start moving on in life.

Clinical psychology: work with people with various diseases (for example, those who have suffered a stroke), in which a significant part of the problems is in the field of psychological disorders. A psychologist is a key link in the process of rehabilitation and recovery after any illness, and psychological rehabilitation after a stroke is essential. Tasks: to achieve positive dynamics in relation to oneself, to the disease, to others.

The psychologist performs the function of the patient's "advocate", helps to establish contact with relatives and the outside world (social adaptation). Tasks: to bring out of a state of shock; motivate the patient to recover, relieve anxiety (informed patients recover faster), provide psychological assistance and support.

Education

  • 2001: St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Faculty of Psychology (psychological counseling)
  • 2017: Institute of Psychotherapy and Medical Psychology named after B.D. Karvasarsky (clinical (medical) psychology)

Training

  • 2018: Personality-oriented (reconstructive) psychotherapy according to Karvasarsky, Tashlykov, Isurina in the treatment of neurotic disorders, borderline conditions and addictions (Institute of Psychotherapy and Clinical (Medical) Psychology named after B.D. Karvasarsky)
  • 2016: Existential Psychotherapy and Counseling Institute practical psychology Imaton (Institute of Psychotherapy and Clinical (Medical) Psychology named after Karvasarsky)
  • 2016: Fundamentals of Modern Sexology and Family Therapy (Association for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
  • 2016: CBT for Depressive Disorders and Depressive Behaviors (CBT Association)
  • 2015: Introduction to trauma-focused CBT (International medical and psychological association "Doctor Bormental")
  • 2014: Fundamentals of psychological correction of eating behavior according to the method of "Doctor Bormental" (Internanional Coaches Union)
  • 2013: International program training of coaches (Institute of Practical Psychology Imaton)
  • 2012: Methodical training of business trainers (Institute of Practical Psychology Imaton)
  • 2012: Intensive short-term psychotherapeutic technologies. Practice of use (IPP Imaton)
  • 2011: Prevention and correction of psychological problems in preschool children (IPP Imaton)

Last week, the Russian project Nimb launched crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, in five days managed to raise an amount three times larger than required. Nimb is a high-tech ring with a built-in panic button that notifies family, friends and emergency services that a person is in danger by sending out a distress signal with coordinates.

V Lately There are more and more personal security devices, and the gadgets themselves help protect yourself or attract the attention of others in a variety of situations. Some of them are needed to protect against an attack, others are designed to help in critical situations that arise at home, in nature or on the road, and others are designed specifically to help children and the elderly.

Individual alarms

One of the most common personal safety devices is personal alarms that emit a loud sound that should scare away an attacker and attract the attention of passers-by. The simplest example of a personal signaling device is a whistle, but more unusual battery-powered devices are now increasingly common. Often such devices are disguised as key rings so that the attacker does not understand what exactly is in your hands. In addition, often signaling devices not only emit loud sounds, but they also glow - so on a dark street they can also be used as a flashlight.

There are other signaling devices - for example, the Siren ring, disguised as a piece of jewelry. To activate it, you need to turn upper part rings counterclockwise: after a second and a half, the ring will begin to make a piercing sound - at this time, according to the creators of the device, you need to point the ring at the attacker's face so that the sound is louder, and the criminal gets scared and runs away.

Coasters that detect drugs in a drink


One of the most serious problems that personal safety devices fight is rape. Very often, developers are looking for a way to prevent date rape - the so-called date rape, when an acquaintance becomes a rapist or rape occurs after a date or party. Often this happens due to the fact that the drug is mixed into the drink of the victim. The American company Drink Safe Technologies sells coasters for drinks and test strips that determine whether a drink contains contaminants. Two years ago, they talked a lot about a special one designed for the same purpose: it is assumed that a girl dips her finger into a glass of drink, and if there is a drug in it, the varnish changes color. True, the project remained a project: its page Facebook has not been updated for more than six months.

Such devices have a serious drawback: none of them is able to determine all the substances that could theoretically be mixed into the drink of the victim, simply because there are too many of them - Drink Safe Technologies products, for example, detect only the two most common substances. In addition, test strips are usually used in conditions far from laboratory ones, so it will not be possible to achieve perfectly accurate results. Which, however, does not mean that the test strips are not useful and that the technology will not improve over time.

Door stop with horn


Often, tracking devices are created specifically for women - they are disguised as bracelets and other jewelry so that the attacker does not guess that the woman has a device with an alarm button in her hands. In addition, there are quite a few applications that allow you to notify your loved ones or the police that you are in danger. However, it is worth considering that a smartphone is usually one of the most valuable things that we carry with us, so it is likely that a criminal will want to take it away in the first place.

Emergency call system


For older people who live separately from relatives, there is a separate category of devices - emergency call systems. Old man receives a small device with a panic button that he must press if he becomes ill. The system connects a person to an operator who listens to the problem and decides how best to proceed: call an ambulance, call relatives or ask neighbors for help. Devices with an alarm button for the elderly are also offered to be installed in different cities of Russia. This is often done by non-profit organizations.

The function of alerting multiple contacts when the panic button is pressed is also built into some phones designed for the elderly.

Universal protection device


In addition to devices that solve specific and rather narrow problems, developers are also working on devices that can solve several problems at the same time. About a year ago, for example, a successful fundraising campaign for the creation of AllBe1 ended - a device that has a motion sensor, a panic button and several sensors that measure various parameters, including temperature, light levels and ultraviolet radiation. The device can be used as a fitness tracker, or you can use it to track the location of children and pets, send data about where you are by pressing the panic button, or, for example, receive alerts that someone has snuck into your House. In addition, the device can be programmed independently and new functions can be added to it.

Photos: SIREN, Amazon, SEAL SwimSafe, Safelet, Medical Guardian, Drink Safe Technologies, AllBe1, Brooklyness