Alzheimer's patients to get GPS shoes

News Type: Event — Seeded on Sat Jun 6, 2009 6:47 PM EDT

Article Source: abc.net.au

world-news, gps, shoes, alzheimers-disease, aetrex-worldwide

A shoe-maker and a technology company are teaming up to develop footwear with a built-in GPS device that could help track down "wandering" seniors suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

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{"commentId":7500181,"authorDomain":"redwolf"}

Red Wolf

"The technology will provide the location of the individual wearing the shoes within 30 feet, anywhere on the planet," said Andrew Carle, an assistant professor at George Mason University who served as an adviser on the project.

"Sixty per cent of individuals afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease will be involved in a 'critical wandering incident' at least once during the progression of the disease - many more than once," he said.

The shoes are being developed by GTX Corp, which makes miniaturised Global Positioning Satellite tracking and location-transmitting technology, and Aetrex Worldwide, a footwear manufacturer.

Mr Carle says embedding a GPS device in a shoe was important because Alzheimer's victims tend to remove unfamiliar objects placed on them but getting dressed is one of the last types of memory they retain.

He said a "geo-fence" could be placed around a person's home and a "Google Map" alert sent to a cell phone, home or office computer when a programmed boundary is crossed.

{"commentId":7500181,"threadId":"597041","contentId":"2903673","authorDomain":"redwolf"}

1 vote

#1 - Sat Jun 6, 2009 6:49 PM EDT

{"commentId":7500782,"authorDomain":"jwm7771"}

joe m-293041

I like this idea, and think it could be very worth while. Make them perscription from a doctor, toher wise obammy will have every one wearing them

{"commentId":7500782,"threadId":"597041","contentId":"2903673","authorDomain":"jwm7771"}

#2 - Sat Jun 6, 2009 7:48 PM EDT

{"commentId":7502629,"authorDomain":"myriver"}

River-239955

I'm surprised they're not already making these for wandering husbands and rowdy teenagers.

{"commentId":7502629,"threadId":"597041","contentId":"2903673","authorDomain":"myriver"}

1 vote

#3 - Sat Jun 6, 2009 10:39 PM EDT

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RED WOLF

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Alzheimer's patients to get GPS shoes

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