Six recent product announcements in the PERS market

What’s new with PERS?  For several years now pseudo-statistics have been floating about the long-standing PERS market – asking the same question over and over hasn’t changed the paraphrased answer: The market is approximately $1.5 billion in the US and changes very slowly. Is it true that only 10% of the purchased devices are mobile – usable away from the home? Insiders today say that 20% of the sales are for mobile devices. So what else is apparent and new with the PERS space in the past four months -- all drawn from the companies' own material:

• GreatCall partnered with BioSensics to add fall detection. In April, GreatCall announced a partnership with: "BioSensics, whose PAMSys technology is powering the fall detection feature. It combines a tri-axis accelerometer with an algorithm that spots sudden changes in body movement in relation to the user’s normal physical activity and posture, and identifies falls when they happen. The technology was developed at the University of Arizona with support from the National Institutes of Health.” Mobile PERS. Learn more at GreatCall.com.

• Essence’s CareAtHome™ product suite was offered as Medical Guardian’s New Service. "As an IoT pioneer, Essence has made a strong push into the home healthcare market over the last few years with  the new standard for seamless, in-home eldercare solutions. CareAtHome™ product suite is a comprehensive, active system that includes a panic button and a wearable pendant. It allows service providers to offer a customizable and upgradable PERS solution to their home-care customers.” Stationary (in-home) PERS. Learn more at Essence Group.

• Nortek Security acquired the assets of Numera. "Numera creates best-in-class, easily implemented, mobile PERS products and cloud-based software platforms that enable providers and healthcare-related companies to create new safety and health monitoring services for their customers. These services extend beyond PERS to the healthy aging, chronic condition management and post-acute care markets. Numera Libris, an industry-leading mobile PERS solution, integrates safety and health monitoring capabilities in one small, convenient-to-wear and easy-to-use mobile device. Libris features instant hands-free communication, automated fall detection, location services and two-way voice communication, and is designed to operate virtually anywhere." Mobile PERS. Learn more at Nortek (formerly Linear).

• Consumer Cellular introduced Ally.  "With the Consumer Cellular Ally, individuals or loved ones can enjoy more freedom and security—from virtually anywhere. If there’s an emergency, the small, easy-to-wear, mobile device quickly connects them to a response team with the press of a button. Also, if a fall is ever detected, the Ally automatically locates the user anywhere within cellular network range and calls a monitoring center, where a response team can contact family or caretakers and send emergency services. Users can talk hands-free to monitoring center staff  through a speaker." Uses the Numera device. Mobile PERS. Learn more at Consumer Cellular.

• Philips Lifeline entered the Predictive Analytics space.  In April, Philips "announced CareSage, a new predictive analytics engine that enables health systems to better monitor and care for elderly patients by combining actionable insights with wearable devices and monitoring.  CareSage provides analysis of real-time and historical data from health care providers and Philips Lifeline, to proactively identify patients most likely to have health issues so clinicians can intervene before problems occur, helping patients stay healthier and reduce avoidable hospitalizations.” Spans mobile and non-mobile PERS offers.  Learn more at Philips Home Monitoring.

• Tunstall Healthcare Group will distribute QMedic.  "QMedic users wear a wrist band/medical alert button that has advanced personal activity monitoring and cloud based analytics and reporting. QMedic “has been designed specifically to support independent living,” the company said, with caregivers being alerted if a user's regular pattern or activity is different. "Our high-touch personal monitoring services and broad distribution capabilities, combined with QMedic's powerful health and activity tracking cloud platform will enable our healthcare partners to offer true Connected Health solutions to their patients and customers,” said Casey Pittock, President and CEO of Tunstall Americas." Stationary (in-home) PERS.  Learn more at Tunstall Americas.