Accurate WiFi-Based Localization of Dementia Patients For Caregiver Support

Abstract In this Phase II SBIR project ASTER Labs will enhance a wireless WiFi based insole that was designed and successfully tested and evaluated during a Phase I trial with elderly persons with dementia and their caregiversand then investigate its efficacy in reducing caregiver activity and burdenand improving caregiver quality of lifeAn estimatedmillion Americans had Alzheimer s disease inand aincrease in this number is expected byThe majority of these patientswill live at home where they receiveof their care from informalunpaid caregiverssuch as family membersfriendsand neighborsThese caregivers provide valuable servicesoften at great economic and psychological cost to themselvesInoverbillion hours of unpaid care were estimated to have been provided by overmillion caregiversAroundof them quit their job or reduced their hours to provide this careThis translated to nearly $billion dollars of unpaid care in a single yearIn the absence of a curedementia patients and caregivers prioritize quality of life as their most valued outcomeExisting commercial solutions to assist caregivers in locating wandering patients lack reliable functionality for indoor environmentsrequire significant infrastructure enhancementor burden both patient and caregiver with the use of non discreet electronics packages that must be worn as wristbands or belt mountsThere exists an unmet need to support caregivers by providing a comprehensive localization solution of the patient that works both indoors and outdoors with little to no infrastructure modificationsASTER Labsnovel devicereferred to as Activlinkis a patient localization solution based upon WiFi signal and inertial sensors optimized to assist monitoring by primary and secondary caregivers of dementia patients in building environmentsActivlink s purpose is to increase quality of life for caregivers by providing highly accurate indication of a patient s positioncombined with real time alerts of a patient s wandering movementsCaregiver often report reduced abilities to function in normal daily activities due to perpetual safety concerns and the demands of constantly monitoring their patientActivlink provides on demand access to real time location visualization within a buildingboth while in relatively close proximity to the patient and remotelyfor distant family members or secondary caregivers wishing to monitor the patient s locationThe innovative concept design for this system provides continuous localization capabilitiesso that the quality of life for both patient and caregiver may be enhanced by allowing both to move throughout a home or in large indoor spaces such as a care facility or medical centerThis Phase II SBIR will evaluate the efficacy of the WiFi based Activlink insole to provide caregivers with augmented patient awarenessaiming to immediately improve their quality of life by reducing their direct burden of continuous in care person oversightEmbedded randomized controlled evaluations will be completed using semi structured interviews and observation data collected onpersons with moderate dementiatheir family caregiversand professional care providers