Kenneth Shinozuka: My simple invention, designed to keep my grandfather safe

Summary

This compelling presentation highlights the urgent challenge posed by Alzheimer's disease, which is diagnosed every 67 seconds in the U.S. The speaker shares a poignant personal story about caring for their grandfather, who struggles with the condition. In response to the difficulties faced by caregivers, they developed an innovative pressure sensor technology that alerts caregivers when a patient gets out of bed. This solution aims to improve the quality of life for both patients and their families. With successful prototypes already tested, the speaker envisions a future where technology plays a vital role in enhancing elderly care and possibly contributing to a cure.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Alzheimer's disease is the fastest-growing health threat to Americans, with someone diagnosed every 67 seconds.
• 👵 Caring for Alzheimer's patients will become a significant societal challenge as the number of cases is projected to triple by 2050.
• 🏥 Personal experience with a family member's Alzheimer's journey highlights the emotional and logistical struggles faced by caregivers.
• 🛌 A proposed solution involves using a pressure sensor in a sock to alert caregivers when a patient gets out of bed.
• 🔧 The speaker's background in technology and sensors influenced their desire to develop solutions for elderly care.
• 📉 Initial challenges included creating a wearable sensor, designing a circuit, and coding a smartphone app.
• 🔋 Bluetooth low energy technology was identified as a solution to power consumption issues in wearable devices.
• 📱 The smartphone app functions as a remote monitoring tool for caregivers, allowing them to track patients' movements.
• 📊 Testing the device on various patients has opened avenues for collecting data that may improve patient care and lead to potential treatments.
• 🌟 The speaker envisions a future where technology enhances the quality of life for elderly individuals and their caregivers.

Q & A

What is identified as the fastest growing threat to Americans' health?

The fastest growing threat to Americans' health is Alzheimer's disease.

How often is someone in the United States diagnosed with Alzheimer's?

Someone in the United States is diagnosed with Alzheimer's every 67 seconds.

What personal experience influenced the speaker's interest in Alzheimer's care?

The speaker's experience caring for their grandfather, who had Alzheimer's, influenced their interest in developing solutions for Alzheimer's care.

What was the speaker's first realization about their grandfather's Alzheimer's?

The speaker realized their grandfather had Alzheimer's when he got lost while they were walking in a park in Japan.

What innovative solution did the speaker propose to help caregivers?

The speaker proposed using a pressure sensor placed on the heel of the foot to detect when a patient gets out of bed, sending an alert to the caregiver's smartphone.

What challenges did the speaker face in developing the wearable sensor?

The speaker faced challenges in creating a wearable sensor, designing a circuit, and coding a smartphone app.

What material did the speaker ultimately use for the pressure sensor?

The speaker used a film sensor made with electrically conductive pressure-sensitive ink particles for the pressure sensor.

How did the speaker address the power consumption issue of the wireless circuit?

The speaker utilized Bluetooth low energy technology, which consumes little power and can be operated by a coin-sized battery.

What was the outcome of testing the device on the speaker's grandfather?

The device had a 100 percent success rate in detecting over 900 instances of the grandfather's wandering.

What broader implications does the speaker see in collecting sensor data?

The speaker believes that collecting sensor data can improve patient care and potentially lead to a cure for Alzheimer's disease.