Satellite technology for caretakers

People in need of care want nothing more than to live as independently as possible. A satellite solution could soon help them when outside of their homes.

At the sixth European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC), T-Systems awarded a special prize to the Munich-based telemedicine company Aipermon. The company came up with the idea of offering seniors and disabled people additional help for domestic care via satellite. The solution combines motion sensors with satellite localization and mobile technology. Based on the alarm settings, the solution notifies relatives, friends or caretakers per SMS if a certain, predefined situation materializes.

If a senior, for example, leaves his home without his caretaker, a radio solution attached to his clothes, automatically sends a message to the central server at a data center. The message gets forwarded to the caretaker who is able to locate the senior via navigation system and, in case of an accident, send help.

The best application ideas for Galileo

Since 2004, the competition has been honoring the best application solutions for the future satellite navigation system Galileo. T-Systems, which acted as the title sponsor, received a total of 39 applications for this year's special award. T-Systems called for entries that make the day-to-day lives of seniors and people who need care more secure and that give them more independence.

A toll specialist and integrator, T-Systems has been successfully involved in satellite-supported traffic telematics for several years, providing solutions for rail transport and truck fleet route planning among other solutions and services. As a partner of the German Aerospace Center, the ICT service provider provides the majority of the ICT infrastructure at the Oberpfaffenhofen control center for the Galileo satellite navigation system.