All of the various smart home technologies, including speakers, are designed to make household life easier for those who purchase them. An interesting application of this is a system like CIRDO, which aims to help the elderly live at home alone for longer [1]. This system uses various audio and visual sensors to detect when a person falls, since falling is one of the most frequent sources of harm for the elderly who live alone [1]. The system also utilizes speech recognition technology that can distinguish between normal speech, home automation directives, and cries of distress. Therefore, the system can alert the proper authorities in cases of emergency, as well as helping out with normal day-to-day activities. Enabling the elderly to live alone longer without assistance will benefit society in general, and this is an important application of smart home technology.

References

  1. Bouakaz, S., Vacher, M., Chaumon, M.-E. B., Aman, F., Bekkadja, S., Portet, F., … Chevalier, T. (2014). CIRDO: Smart companion for helping elderly to live at home for longer. Irbm, 35(2), 100–108. doi: 10.1016/j.irbm.2014.02.011