GPS Shoe For Alheziemer’s Seems Flawed

Clothing GPS — 14 August 2009

gps-shoe

There’s a company, they’re called GTX Corp. They’ve got this wonderful idea to make shoes with GPS built-in to help keep track of people with dementia and alzheimer’s. Cool, great idea, but it just seems a tad flawed. Why? How do you insure that the patient, or sick will even remember to put on shoes or that particular pair of shoes especially since they suffer from a disease that impedes upon their memory? Shit, just give them a Verizon or AT&T phone with that kid tracker service and you’ll accomplish the same thing. They plan on selling the GPS shoe next Spring for $200-$300 with a monitoring fee of $18/month.

Developed by GTX Corp. and Aetrex Worldwide, the shoe is dubbed the Ambulator, and it “tracks the location and movement history of its wearer, relaying the information to a monitoring center through cellular networks,” GTX chief executive Patrick Bertagna wrote in an e-mail. Concerned family members and friends can log in to a Web site or receive alerts that will pinpoint the location of the person wearing the shoe, Bertagna added.

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About Author

Christen Costa

Grew up back East, got sick of the cold and headed West. Since I was small I have been pushing buttons - both electronic and human. With an insatiable need for tech I thought "why not start a blog focusing on technology, and use my dislikes and likes to post on gadgets."

Allen

GTX is a pump and dump stock scam. Those shoes have been 6 months away from being on the market for almost 2 years now.
http://www.GTXCorp.com Joel Margulies

Research compilied at the George Mason University in Washington DC has clearly identified the behavior patterns of those afflicted with Alzheimer’s. Mobile phones don’t work because victims do not remember who to call. Phones are also used by wandering victims as barter to get things they want as they no longer comprehend the value of money. Shoes however appear to be an embeded memory that recalls the need for shoes, to put them on before making the next decision. The shoes emit a signal when the victim leaves a prescribed location immediately signaling to care givers that someone in their care is on the move. Recovery can happen in minutes as the unit is remarkably accurate.
Andrew Carle

GPS shoe technology is the most appropriate for individuals with Alzheimer’s and related dementia for several reasons. First, the disease that impairs their memory specifically prevents them from being able to either use, carry, or recall that they have a cell phone available. It is also known that procedural memory (which includes habitual memory, including “getting dressed”), is the last type of memory lost in those with Alzheimer’s. In this case, they will either continue to dress themselves (including shoes), and/or readily wear clothing and shoes placed on them each day by a caregiver. In my 20+ years of working with individuals with Alzheimer’s I have never seen an individual who has become lost that was not dressed. Second, the technology incorporated in the GTX designed shoe includes “geo-fencing” capabilities – allowing a caregiver (even from a distance) to program a boundry around the individual’s home, which if they cross will send an automatic alert to the caregivers cell phone, home or office computer. This technology is not available in cell phones. Third, the battery life of a cell phone is not comparable to that of the GPS shoes.

Up to 60% of individuals with Alzheimer’s will become lost at least once, and up to half will die if not found within 24 hours, usually from exposure, dehydration, or injury. There are 5 million afflicted individuals in the U.S. currently, projected to grow to 20 million short of a cure. Placing tracking technology in their shoes will not only save lives, but millions of dollars in search and rescue operations for local and state governments.

Finally, the company that has been promising to place GPS shoes in the market for the past several years is not GTX, but a different company. The reason they have been unable to do so is specifically because GTX holds more than a dozen patents on the technology, and is the only company authorized to commercialize it. GTX had not made any statements about placing the shoe on the market until their recent completion of a formal agreement to do so with Aetrex, a worldwide leader in orthotic and specialty shoes for seniors. At this time they remain on schedule for prototype development during the fourth quarter of this year, and commercial entry during the first quarter of next.
lorenzo baker

i think its great idea thats why i bought 500 shares whille its low. it will sky rocket in a year then who will be laughing?
Kip

GTXO’s stock is going to boom once this technology hits the market. The PLS Shoe product for individuals with Alzheimers is only one facet to this gem. Think about kids shoes, so parents
can track their every move. Imagine how many kids who are abducted that could easily be found if they were wearing shoes with this technology.. But that is still a just fraction of what this technology is capable of. The military aspect of this technology is mind boggling. Once the Armed Forces gets a wiff of this product, I can see these PLS devices placed into the boots and or equipment of our Soldiers, Sailors and Marines. This would give the combatant commander a battlefield picture like none other before it. Being able to see exactly where your troops are at 24/7 would give U.S. and NATO forces a distinct advantage in real time decision making, couple that with the overhead view of our UAV’s and the possibilities are unlimited.
Another aspect of this technology is shipping. Imagine incorporating this technology into shipping lables, boxes, shipping containers, or vehicles so that anything and everything can be tracked by its owner. GTXO has only scratched the surface of this emerging market.
Tom

Wailt until they find a way to incorporate this tech into advanced devices like pacemakers.
CCW

All the while picking up on shares sold.