Digital cloud platform aims to improve elderly care in Wuxi

Wuxi-based high-tech sector company, Jiangsu CAS Nor-West Star Information Technology Co, is looking to play a big role in improving the lives of local elderly people after the development of a cloud platform.

Backed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the platform integrates cutting-edged technologies including internet of things (IoT), artificial technology (AI), big data and cloud computing to monitor the health information of the elderly.

"To date the intelligent platform has preserved the information of senior citizens in 139 nursing homes, and it can help staff members and their families act if something is deemed not right," said Wang Meng, the CEO of Nor-West Star Information Technology

A smart mattress with inductive elements can monitor senior citizens' sleep quality and vital signs, a smart medicine box can automatically remind the elderly of their medication schedule, and a smart watch can locate their position when they have some emergency.

All the data from the high-tech products will be automatically connected with the platform, which will be monitored by medical professionals. Families will also be able to use an app to monitor the data.

The development of the platform comes in light of ever-increasing numbers of elderly people in China, which is expected to peak at 487 million in 2050, accounting for 34.9 percent of the total population.

The Wuxi government is also ramping up drives to promote the use of smart mobile platforms in the elderly care industry to cope with an aging population.

"The platform helps link elderly people, families, and care staff together in a smart way. It also can be used in hospitals, communities and even at home," said Wang.

Thanks to the support of the Wuxi government and a series of preferential policies, the first pilot project of the platform was launched in the Wangzhuang nursing home, Wuxi Xinwu district in 2013.

It has provided an efficient way for institutions to prevent the elderly from going missing, monitor elderly people falling down, and enable self-examination. It also has set up for the nursing homes a real-time, efficient and high-quality security network.

"The platform and related products have served around 25,000 elderly people in Wuxi city and 80,000 in China," said Wang.

It was also selected as one of the "2018 top ten smart pension brands in China" at the China International Pension Industry Development Summit on March 15.

"We will step up efforts to boost the research and development of more affordable products to help elderly people. I believe it is a meaningful career that is worthy for me to devote my whole life to," Wang said at last.