Things That Think: MIThril (BT)

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Slides from Spring 2004
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MIThril (BT)
Using technology to facilitate social services to the elderly.

Who:	From BT: Steve Whittaker, and others from BTexact From the Media Lab: Profs. Sandy Pentland, Roz Picard, and others.
When:	2003-present
Where:	MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Why:	The population of the UK, and many other countries, is aging. Technology can help providers to care for the elderly remotely.
How:	Steve Whittaker, BT's research affiliate at the Media Lab, is working with various researchers to bring the ideas and technologies to BT.

Details

BT currently is involved in telemetering the homes of elderly around Liverpool in order to connect them with care providers.

The network consists of simple sensors that can allow caregivers to monitor activity in the homes and provide care when necessary. For instance, a refrigerator sensor can tell caregivers if the fridge door has not been opened for an unusual period, prompting them to check on the home's inhabitants.

The collaboration involves the MIThril project from the Human Dynamics group, the MIT PlaceLab, and work from the Affective Computing group.


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