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Tablet For Elderly Well-Being On The Way

San Diego – Independa has entered
the beta testing phase of its Angela tablet device, designed to remotely
monitor the health of elderly care recipients while engaging them with social
interaction through games, video chat, email and social-networking
capabilities.

The Angela tablet integrates
Independa’s existing health and well-being monitoring service, introduced at
International CES in January, and adds a social-engagement suite tied to the
design of the tablet’s interface.

“Angela is unique, powerful and
inviting – truly angel-like,” said Independa CEO Kian Saneii. “We see it as the
next Wii or iPad for the golden generation. It’s especially designed to
entertain and engage while being convenient for those who care for the elderly.
Imagine being able to see mom or your patient right away, or engage them
through emails, Facebook or even video chat. Now imagine them doing all this
plus a whole lot more, like playing games and surfing the Internet, without any
prior computer knowledge.” 

Designed specifically for aging
adults, Angela’s GUI offers larger screen fonts, higher contrast and brighter
colors than most tablets on the market, Independa said. The preconfigured
tablet features an intuitive interface with secure, one-touch access to video
chats, email, the Internet, Facebook, games and puzzles, and other interactive
content. No general computer knowledge is needed to operate Angela, the company
said.

“Angela is the latest building
block in the integrated suite of solutions Independa is rolling out to help
family members and home-care professionals stay in touch with and watch over
care recipients when they can’t be with them,” Saneii said.

Angela builds and enhances upon
Independa’s Smart Reminders app. Launched in January, Smart Reminders uses
proprietary technology to enable caregivers to set up automatic reminders for
care receivers to take their medications, keep medical and social appointments,
and record life stories. Angela adds visual notifications to existing telephone
alerts as options for receiving reminders, as well as confirmation to a family
member or professional caregiver that a reminder was acknowledged and
confirmed, closing a common daily communication loop for medication compliance.

Independa sees Angela as “an
antidote to the critical problem of social isolation and loneliness among the
elderly.”

The Angela tablet began beta
testing July 1 and is expected to be generally available in September. After
the beta period, the software will be available for monthly subscription, with
tablet pricing to be determined.

Care recipients need Internet
access to their homes to stay connected to the service. 

Plans call for the option of a
10-inch or 22-inch tablet screen upon full rollout. A 10-inch screen is being
used by beta testers.

Independa intends to market the
tablet and subscription services to both the consumer market and the
assisted-living and health care provider enterprise channels.

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