PAS: A Wireless-Enabled, Sensor-Integrated Personal Assistance System for Independent and Assisted Living

Advances in networking, sensors, and embedded devices have made it feasible to monitor and provide medical and other assistance to people in their homes. Aging populations will benefit from reduced costs and improved healthcare through assisted living based on these technologies. However, these systems challenge current state-of-the-art techniques for usability, reliability, and security. In this paper we present the PAS open architecture for assisted living, which allows independently developed third party components to collaborate. We discuss key technological issues in assisted living systems, such as tracking, fall detection, security and privacy; and results from our pilot study in a real assisted living facility are presented.