Non-Invasive, Private and Ultra-Low Cost 24/7 Health Care Monitoring for the Elderly Community

Project Information

HomeSafe

Grant agreement ID: 854352

DOI

10.3030/854352

Project closed

EC signature date 30 January 2019

Start date 1 February 2019

End date 31 July 2019

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

PISGA SOFTWARE AND COMMUNICATION LTD
Israel

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HomeSafe (Non-Invasive, Private and Ultra-Low Cost 24/7 Health Care Monitoring for the Elderly Community)

Reporting period: 2019-02-01 to 2019-07-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The HomeSafe project conducts both technical and market validation for a proprietary health care solution which is a non-invasive Personal 24/7 Monitoring Management System (PMMS) based on a state of the art passive Ultra-Wideband Micro-power Sensor (UWMS) communicating with a Cloud-based Central Management Application Server to provide 24/7 professional analysis of the condition of the monitored person, their real-time location, posture, gait, a fall, etc. with alerts and analysis provided accordingly. It combines patented algorithms from Fall Gait Monitoring, hardware in the form of state of the art passive Ultra-Wideband Micro-power Sensor (UWMS), and PISGA’s know-how on how to construct the software and cloud-based platform to turn sensing instruments into services. The solution addresses the social challenge of the aging population and with that challenges and opportunities related to aging well, staying in one’s home longer, reducing demand on informal caretakers, reducing the burden on social programs, ensuring quality of life, ensuring quality of care, and maintaining independence, privacy, and dignity.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The work conducted in this HomeSafe SME Instrument Phase I feasibility study followed and completed its undertaken tasks:
Technical feasibility of the HomeSafe approach and methodology is validated as reported. System level functionality requirements as well as technical specifications for both hardware and software (sensor from end software and central platform software) components are established.
Targeted market segments are documented. They include assisted-living facilities, residential-care facilities, senior-focused housing, and individuals living alone in the community. In addition, a comprehensive survey conducted, including responses from individuals, care givers, and facility managers, is documented.
The feasibility study serves the dual purpose of documenting market landscape and performing market segment analysis, leading to documenting the results of business model development and business planning efforts.
The feasibility study further documents innovation management aspects, such as identifying:
• The sensor suppliers
• The potential partners
• Ethical considerations

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

HomeSafe project will deliver an affordable new technology and critical service that can be scaled to a large number of users to combat fall-related deaths, injuries, follow-on complications, and costs.
One-third of people over the age of 65 who live in the community fall each year and this proportion increases to 50% of those aged 80 years and older. Those residing in care or nursing settings have an even greater risk of falls and fractures. Approximately 30% of falls require medical treatment, often resulting in emergency department visits and subsequent hospitalizations. Annually there are an average of 35,848 fall-related deaths amongst people aged 65 years and older within the EU/EFTA region. The number of fall-related hospital visits for the same age-group is estimated at 3.7 million per annum. Worldwide, falls are the second leading cause of accidental or unintentional injury deaths. Each year an estimated 646 000 individuals die from falls globally of which over 80% are in low- and middle-income countries. 37.3 million falls that are severe enough to require medical attention occur each year.
The HomeSafe System will demonstrate “high potential in terms of 24/7 Personal Guard system competitiveness and growth, underpinned by a strategic business plan” targeting millions of elderly users generating a revenue of more than 53M Euro for the first five years. This is based on a very conservative assumption of servicing less than 1% of the potential elder-community living within EU countries which is currently about 19% of the total EU citizens and is expected to increase over the coming years.
Final impact shows, even under a very conservative set of assumptions, very rapid growth in both revenue and employees (directly employed on the developed project).
• The results in terms of new jobs are conservatively estimated at:
o Employees: During the first 5 years following the project founding period the company expects to grow its workforce by more than x 60, establishing a >125 employee company that will continue to recruit and grow its workforce by more than 30% year-over-year from this point onward.

• The results in terms of Revenue growth:
o Revenue: The HomeSafe impact in terms of revenue (after sales starts) is conservatively estimated to rapidly grow to more than 30M Euro within the first 5 years of operation, posting more than double year-over-year revenues throughout the period. The average year over year revenue growth for the following 5-year period is expected to be >50%.

• Other direct and indirect impact:
o A direct growth resulting from the HomeSafe project: The mass production of HomeSafe home units in Israel will lead to a huge growth on turnover and employment.
o Creation of new jobs will result from the need for more employees on the production floor, EU and global component procurement activities, global shipments and transportation, warehouses, and new office facilities.

HomeSafe overall architecture