Lotus Ring: Wearable Technology for Independence at Home - Pilot

Lotus Laboratories Inc. 1145 Malibu Drive San Jose CA 95129 Principal Investigator: Dhaval Patel National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) CFDA 93.433 - SBIR Phase I This project supports the implementation of a pilot program to evaluate the Lotus Ring as a tool for independence among wearers with mobility disabilities. The Lotus Ring is a patented wearable ring prototype that controls objects at home - including lights, fans, and appliances - by pointing. No rewiring, downloading a mobile application, or internet connection required. Through this project, we will work with organizational and institutional partners to expand participation in our technology pilot program to a more diverse group of users with mobility disabilities, spread across a larger geographic area. The goal of this pilot program is to quantify the benefits of the Lotus Ring to users and caregivers as follows: 1) Time savings for the user and caregiver(s) 2) Effort savings for the user and caregiver(s) 3) Anxiety reduction for the user and caregiver(s) 4) Depression reduction for the user and caregiver(s) 5) Independence/autonomy increase for the user 6) Relief/Peace-of-mind increase for caregiver(s)