“Hey Google”

March 25, 2020 11:20 pm

Vacuum the kitchen can be now heard inside some of the CHSP homes across Inverell, Tamworth and Gunnedah. Late last year McLean Care was awarded an innovation grant funding from the Department of Health to undertake a trial of smart home technology with Commonwealth Home Support Program recipients along with Deakin University and Monash University.
In January the initial interviews and meetings where held with the clients to explain the program, the technology options and work out what would work specifically for each person and their homes. The most popular technology inclusion has been to introduce a small wireless button that could be placed beside the bed that could turn on and off a smart light down the hall in the bathroom.
Another scenario implemented in some homes has been a smart light that turns red at the appropriate time for a client reminding them to take their medication. When they open and then shut the cupboard or draw they store their medication in, the light turns off until it is the time for them to take medication again.
Google Homes were also installed into each house so the clients can control their smart devices and get daily updates on the weather, the news or ask for a recipe to make a banana cake.
One device causing the biggest stir is the Autonomous Robot vacuums. It can be seen in several of the homes whirring away vacuuming desired rooms all by simply issuing a voice command like “Hey Google Vacuum the Lounge Room”.
One male resident caught on early and was planning to announce to his wife when she arrived home that he had vacuumed the entire house – and most likely he would not have moved from the lounge chair in front of the TV for the whole time, but simply issued voice commands to Google and the Vacuum.
Another big hit has been “Hey Google, start the Smart Kettle” and this command can be issued from the bedroom and when arriving in the kitchen the water is boiled and ready to pour from the smart kettle we have installed. Over 20 homes have been fitted out with the smart technology and the trial is well underway in Inverell, Tamworth and Gunnedah.
Deakin University and Monash University have now also completed their first round visits and interviews with the clients. Feedback so far has been very encouraging with the majority really enjoying the opportunity of having the new technology in their homes. Monash University will revisit our clients again in May to see how they have going with the technology. The project will be completed by the end of June 2020.