Hi Marcus,
We have a kit of stand-alone technology that was put together for people
with dementia who wander out of the house at inappropriate times. It
consists of a PIR-driven verbal reminder unit, and door sensors linked
to a carer alarm. It would be easy to configure it to remind someone to
lock the door as they went out. We have many of the reminder units in
use and they have been very effective. They are quite cheap and easy to
install. I'll send you a leaflet.
It is quite easy to detect electric cooker usage through a current
sensor as you suggest. Another technique that works well with electric
cookers is a single-point IR sensor pointing at the rings (the wide
angle ones are best). We have used them to activate a sign indicating
that the cooker is still hot (there is still a danger to vulnerable
users because of the thermal inertia of most electric cookers). We have
been testing a unit that can take any sensors like smoke alarms etc and
turn off electric cookers via a high-current relay. It providers an
indication of when it has acted, or can also activate a verbal reminder
unit. These have again been developed for people with dementia and have
been very effective in practice.
I know colleagues in Scandinavia, where electric cookers are the norm,
use a commercial timer unit that will only allow the cooker to be
powered for a pre-set time. It can be reset once it has timed out, but
it provides an upper limit for how long the cooker is left on.
Best regards,
Roger
Professor Roger Orpwood
Bath Institute of Medical Engineering
University of Bath
c/o Wolfson Centre
Royal United Hospital
Bath BA1 3NG
01225 824103
-----Original Message-----
From: A discussion list for Assistive Technology professionals.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Friday Marcus (RFF)
Medical Physics
Sent: 05 January 2005 17:51
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Cooker and door reminder
I'm looking for a device to aid someone with memory difficulties.
He has an electric cooker which on some occasions forgets to turn off.
We're considering something which clamps around the supply cable and
detects when current is drawn and so indicates that the cooker is on.
This
could then be used to trigger an alarm/reminder after a pre-set time.
I'm aware of the Tunstall temperature extremes sensor but would not
want to
rely on this alone.
Has anyone any other suggestions on how to remind someone to turn their
electric cooker off? Considering that you don't really want to rely on
them
setting a timer.
The same person forgets to lock their UPVC door when leaving the house.
We've one or two ideas around the use of a pressure mat combined with a
PIR
configured so it's known that he's going outside and a reminding
message
being played. Any ideas on this front also?
Our OT has placed prominent reminders around the kitchen and by the
door
but we're not sure if the messages will always be acted on.
Thanks,
Marcus.
Marcus Friday
Barnsley District General Hospital
Medical Physics Department
Gawber Road
Barnsley
S75 2EP
Tel: 01226 730000 x2159
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