CareBot MSR 3.4 "Follows" Grandma Automatically!

GeckoNav's™ unattended errand running and patrolling capability and GeckoChat's™ capability to verbally interact with and manage a personal robot are both critical and important useful capabilities for a Mobile Service Robot (MSR) in a typical dynamic and cluttered home environment.   However, we have lacked one very important functional capability and benefit.   This integral component is the ability to automatically follow Grandma (or other designated person) around in their daily routine about their home.   Our latest MSR addition, GeckoTrak, enables our upgraded CareBot MSR 3.4 to timely remind Grandma, or others, to take medications, of favorite TV shows coming on and other routine reminders by always being close by and within easy hearing distance.

As you can see, in concert with GeckoNav and GeckoChat, GeckoTrak brings a new level of cost effective and timely caregiver support for family members by family members.

How did we achieve this new world's first capability?

GeckoTrak uses recently developed GeckoSystems software that merges and interprets data from three different sensor systems to automatically follow a designated person anywhere in their home.   We use a scanning passive infrared (PIR) sensor to detect a person's body heat.   Highly optimized machine vision algorithms are used to learn and remember the carereceiver's daily attire.   A sonar range finder is instrumental in maintaining a safe, predetermined distance between the CareBot and the carereceiver.   GeckoNav provides the intelligence to automatically guide the CareBot to go where GeckoTrak determines the carereceiver to be.   The software portions of GeckoTrak run on two separate, low power 40Mhz and 500 Mhz onboard computers in our advanced biological hierarchial system architecture.   The low power requirements allow our CareBot to maintain a constant monitoring state for fifteen hours or more between chargings.   Now, whenever family members and/or other caregivers wish to see Grandma, the webcam (for virtual visiting) incorporated into our CareBots is now positioned to quickly and easily allow remote viewing with a minimum of time and trouble.

After many years of research and development, we now have the basic systems in place to enable the CareBot to understand that Grandma is down on the floor and not responding to verbal inquiries such as: "Are you okay?"   We are working on making GeckoTrak even more useful, too.   In conjunction with the high level reasoning engine in the GeckoSuper™, our 3.4 will be able to quickly call predetermined emergency numbers and tell them that "Grandma is in trouble! Come quickly to <address>! This is a CareBot MSR calling you per the instructions of <responsible family member or other caregiver>."

We are soliciting families to apply for the opportunity to participate in a trial evaluation (at no obligation or out of pocket expense to them) to learn for themselves that our CareBots really can help keep Grandma independent in her own home, rather than a nursing home, for a few months or even a few years.   (You can begin the application process here.   We only have a few dozen that we can put into home trials, so please hurry.)

Within the next few weeks you should expect new demo videos on our website demonstrating our new CareBot MSR 3.4 with GeckoTrak in full operation.   Please bookmark our homepage since we will provide links from there.   Thank you.