Launceston will act as the trial ground for a new application to track and find wandering dementia patients.
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The technology has been created by Hobart start-up Bitwoke and uses antennas connected to a network called LoRaWan.
Bitwoke’s lightweight sensors can be sewn into clothing, or bags, and act as a tracker for elderly people suffering from dementia.
The software’s artificial intelligence is programmed to detect movements that are considered unusual, like aimless wandering.
This behaviour prompts a signal to be sent to corresponding sensors.
“We did some engagement with the clinical community, and a number of local GPs said a really good problem to go after is addressing the problems with patients who wander,” Bitwoke co-founder Peter Padd said.
“Particularly ones with dementia, because six out of 10 of them generally wander.
“It’s a very traumatic thing for the patients and it can lead to harm for them and the carers and family.”
The network the sensors connect to, LoRaWan, is an alternative digital network that can be used for the Internet of Things – the connection of everyday objects with the internet.
LoRaWan is a clever way to use radio, because it has long range and [uses] low power.
- Bitwoke co-founder Paul Neumeyer
Launceston is the first city in Australia to be fully connected after the state government spent $100,000 setting up the network.
Bitwoke co-founder Paul Neumeyer explained that LoRaWan was more effective than mobile phone networks for some applications.
“LoRaWan is a clever way to use radio, because it has long range and [uses] low power,” he said.
“It’s also cheaper than mobile.”
Aged care is not the only industry that could be revolutionised by Bitwoke’s use of the network.
The tracking program could also be used by emergency service workers, child care providers and agricultural industries.
The long range capabilities of LoRaWan makes Bitwoke’s new technology ideal for anyone living in remote areas, according to Mr Padd.
“You could imagine a situation where firefighters are out in the bush, and there isn’t really any network out there,” he said.
“If they had a smart wearable [sensor], and one of them got separated, with LoRaWan we would be able to alert them to get the group back together.
“That’s a real game-changer because a lot of these areas don’t have a mobile network out there.”
Bitwoke is looking to roll out demos of the technology in Launceston over the next three to five weeks.
By the end of April, the start-up plans to start running trials in Hobart and Melbourne.