Philips Lifeline GoSafe for the elderly

Computer technology isn't just fun and games aimed at young people. The Lifeline GoSafe is a gadget designed for keeping tabs on vulnerable senior citizens from Philips. The Dutch company may be best known for its TVs, monitors and home cinema speakers, but it has a long established range of medical-related products too.

The Lifeline GoSafe is a small, lightweight and waterproof device on a lanyard worn around an elderly person's neck. It's equipped with GPS, motion sensors and the ability to place emergency calls. According to a Philips spokesperson in Las Vegas, the battery will last around a week. Once it starts running low, a voice prompt will reminder the senior citizen to place the Lifeline GoSafe in the small charger – the two couple together magnetically to avoid any fiddling around. 

Read more: CES 2013 news; health news

If a GPS signal isn't available for whatever reason, the Lifeline GoSafe can also use Wifi and mobile network data to calculate a position too.

As well as letting you keep track of where a doddery relative may have wandered off to, the motion sensors will also raise the alarm if the pensioner has a nasty fall. Philips claims various complex algorithms built into the Lifeline's various sensors help avoid false alarms. Even if you can't take the alert for whatever reason, a US call centre will be alerted instead and can call another contact or the emergency services if necessary.

Disappointingly, the Philips Lifeline GoSafe will initially only be available in the US. Pricing has yet to be determined, but in addition to an upfront cost there will be monthly service charges of around $50. Even if it proves to be too expensive for private individuals, the technology could still be useful for hospitals, care homes and other institutions.