The Dring Smartcane is a high-tech walking cane that can alert family members when an elderly relative falls. Find out everything you need to know about the Dring Smartcane today in our review.
What is the Dring Smartcane?
The Dring Smartcane is yet another smart device that debuted at CES 2017. The cane features smart technology that makes it superior to a standard walking cane.
The Dring Smartcane is made by a French startup called Nov’in. That company’s flagship product is already generating headlines from its debut at CES.
Do you have older loved ones with mobility issues? If so, then they may use a walking stick or cane to help them get around. The Dring Smartcane is marketed towards elderly people with low mobility and concerned relatives. Using special technology, it alerts loved ones when an elderly relative falls.
The Dring Smartcane relies on the Dring system. The Dring system involves placing a wireless device into an ordinary object to transform it into a “smart” object. So far, the company has added Dring to canes and workplace boots.
Dring connects to GSM and GPS networks to help track movement without the use of a connected smartphone. Anywhere you have mobile service, you can rely on your Dring Smartcane or Dring boots to help you stay safe.
How Does the Dring Smartcane Work?
Dring Smartcane has a built-in accelerometer and gyroscope – similar to the technology in your phone that tracks your motion and movement.
The makers of the cane have paired this technology with an alert system that connects directly to the GSM network. In the case of a fall or an emergency situation, the cane can send an alert to a caregiver. That caregiver can send a signal back to the cane letting the individual know help is on the way.
All data from the cane is sent to a secure server wirelessly (again, using GSM mobile networks). There, artificial intelligent algorithms process data to understand a user’s habits and movements.
Why run all this data through an algorithm? The data is used to measure changes in an individual’s activity over time. It can be used to identify low activity, tiredness, and other changes in walking patterns that may be linked to worsening conditions, for example.
If an elderly relative starts moving around less and less every week, then the Dring Smartcane will detect those changes. The elderly relative might not even know that they were moving around less and less – but the cane will know.
Nov’in, the makers of the Dring Smartcane, worked with a century-old cane maker called Fayet (founded in 1909) to develop their canes. This isn’t some cheap piece of metal or plastic: it’s a stylish, attractive cane with a polished exterior concealing the sensors in the grip.
Dring Smartcane Features
- Fall detection using gyroscope and accelerometer
- Smart algorithms that detect changes in movement over time to help identify worsening conditions before they become serious
- Long battery life (Nov’in estimates “many weeks between two charges” on their official website)
- Easy to use (identical to other walking canes)
- GSM and GPS network support, which means the cane relies on standard mobile networks for accurate localization and does not need to be paired to a smartphone or tablet in order to use
Dring Smartcane Release Date
The Dring Smartcane is preparing to be released in September 2017.
Dring Smartcane Pricing
Pricing details were not released at CES 2017. However, according to this French media outlet, the Dring Smartcane will be priced at a slightly higher rate than ordinary canes in France. Typically, French citizens pay 12 Euros for a cane, as the remaining amount is reimbursed by social security.
The Dring system may also use a subscription-based model, since it’s connected to mobile networks. There are plans to integrate Dring into other devices – like shoes.
About Nov’in
Nov’in is a French tech startup best-known for its Dring system. Dring uses GSM and GPS networks to turn any device into a smart device.
So far, Nov’in has integrated Dring into Parade safety shoes (popular shoes used in workplaces) to help detect unusual situations, like falls and immobility. They have also partnered with French cane manufacturer Fayet to release the Dring Smartcane.
The smartcane is preparing to be released in September 2017. Stay tuned for more information about the Dring Smartcane as the product gets closer to launch.
