Seoul City Expands IoT Sensor Program for Seniors Living Alone

Sensor devices will be installed in the homes of elderly citizens to detect changes in their health condition as well as to dispatch first responders quickly when an emergency occurs. (image: Seoul Metropolitan Government)

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Korea Bizwire) — Seoul city plans to install Internet of Things (IoT) sensors in the homes of 10,000 elderly people living alone by the end of this year.

This move is aimed at dispatching 119 rescue squad as rapidly as possible when an emergency situation occurs.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government unveiled the plan on Thursday to expand its IoT care service for elderly citizens living alone.

Under this plan, sensor devices will be installed in the homes of elderly citizens to detect changes in their health condition as well as to dispatch first responders quickly when an emergency occurs.

The data gathered from the IoT sensors will be monitored and sent on a real-time basis to relevant offices and officials.

If no motion is sensed for a certain time or abnormal changes in temperature, humidity or light are detected, the government’s welfare officials will take emergency measures, sending 119 rescue squad after checking the situation.

The government noted that under the IoT care service, it has taken preemptive measures by detecting a total of 135 emergency cases during the period from January 2018 to July 2020.

The government added that during this period, there have been no elderly solitary deaths, which are reported when a dead body is discovered more than 72 hours after the presumed time of death.

M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)