Multi-modal Monitoring of the Aged in Their Own Homes

This paper describes an approach for satisfying the need for an intelligent monitoring system for aged people living alone. An architecture is proposed that includes sensing devices on appliances and fixtures in the home as well as on the occupant. Traditional reed switches and pressure pads are augmented by audio and accelerometers with accelerometer data captured via a PDA carried by the occupant. All the data is used to determine the anxiety level of both the house and the appliances based on a probabilistic model. The anxiety level of appliances is used for two actions: (1) to remind the occupant about any hazards that are occurring in the house. such as leaving the stove on, (2) to keep a carer informed about the state of the occupant and house during normal use, and (3) to alert the carer to any emergencies and unusual activities and events. The paper describes the design and implementation as well as results of activities simulated in a smart house laboratory environment.