An intelligent system for assisting elderly people

Abstract

In this paper we present the main features of AINGERU, a system that we have developed and that provides a new kind of tele-assistance service to elderly people. AINGERU, apart from the functionalities offered by the current tele-assistance services, also provides a high quality, anywhere and at any time assistance. We rate the assistance as high quality because AINGERU allows the monitoring of vital signs and a local detection of anomalous situations by the device that the person carries in real time. Therefore, it sends alarms autonomously when necessary. Through this paper we explain the three main functionalities offered by AINGERU: universal assistance anywhere and at any time, monitoring of vital signs irrespective of location or time and remote monitoring by allowing authorized external persons to consult data about monitored persons using the Internet. Moreover we show how those functionalities are achieved by making use of PDAs (Personal Digital Assistant), wireless communication, Semantic Web, Web services and agent technologies. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.