New SmartHome Technology Gives Boomers Piece of Mind

By François Bordes, Neoji co-founder

The year was 1987 – the year that a TV commercial about safety for the elderly, and one line in particular, was so memorable that it has become a part of American pop culture history. If you haven’t heard the line you should be applauded for being a voracious reader and for not watching TV, because If you channel surfed in the 80’s and 90’s you heard: “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” (link to the ad on YouTube).

While the ad was sometimes made fun of in comedic sketches the product itself remains relevant 27 years after the famous ad hit the airwaves.

If Life Alert sparked an era of alert devices, the latest wave of smarthome technology, in 2014, represents the beginning of a new era where the devices not only send alerts but they also learn and adapt to a home environment.

Neoji is an example of an all-in-one smarthome system designed to interpret its surroundings so it can serve homeowners concerned with security, health, safety, air quality, energy efficiency and the environment.

It’s packed with sensors and artificial intelligence that can ‘feel’ and ‘understand’ what’s happening in a home and alert the owner when anything is out of the ordinary. For the elderly, this is particularly useful because it can be programmed to identify what is normal in a specific home environment and what could be a potential problem.

The security features include a smart HD camera, presence sensors and intelligent sound and voice recognition systems that can alert users of events or changes in the home. For example, if there’s an out of the ordinary sound (i.e. breaking glass or a thud that could potentially be a fall) or if an unrecognized voice speaks in the room. Neoji knows from past sounds and experiences that this is not an ordinary event.

Neoji is set to instantly alert the correct person (based on the event) via programmable notifications to a relative, neighbor, friend, family member, the police, or even a doctor via text, email and/or call.

It’s also equipped with air quality sensors that can detect humidity, a gas leak, abnormal temperature fluctuations, or the presence of smoke or other air pollutants like carbon monoxide.  This is an important feature for those that suffer from COPD, Asthma, allergies or other respiratory conditions.

There are also conservation features that can help users save up to 20% on energy bills. This is especially important for people on a fixed income.

The foundation for all of Neoji’s features is its environmental Smart Conso technology. Smart Conso gives the user control over energy consumption so they can monitor and reduce costs by making adjustments in real-time. Neoji reports on electricity, heating, water and temperature.

With features like consumption optimization, usage alerts and energy reports, Neoji allows owners to track energy and water usage daily and take steps to save money and reduce consumption on an ongoing basis.

While the early devices from past decades served as important alert systems for the elderly, the new wave of devices promise to communicate without needing the famous line “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up”.

As devices get smarter they’ll communicate on the owner’s behalf sending custom alert messages to smartphones describing even subtle changes to the home environment.  In some cases they’ll report on events the resident isn’t even aware of. Welcome to the era of smarthome devices that not only speak, but also think.

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*Neoji is currently taking pre-orders on its Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign where homeowners who are interested in a safer home can become an early adopter.

For more information please visit: Neoji.com

Category: Blog