Product Concept
Mapping System
The Safe 21 mapping system is an important step forward for social alarm control centres. It will allow staff to pinpoint on a map where an alarm has been raised, and to respond with the nearest appropriate help. The system will display the location of ambulance stations, hospitals and care staff, even when they are on the move.

The mapping system is the control system behind the operation of the mobile social alarm, also currently under development. The mobile social alarm is a mobile phone with an emergency button, which automatically calls a control centre for help. In providing people with the option of a mobile social alarm which they can take with them wherever they go, control centres need to be able to respond to an alarm wherever it is raised. A fast and efficient way of pinpointing the exact location of the alarm is essential.

The system will use a series of scaled maps to display the location of an alarm call. Maps will be displayed on the screens of the control centre, and will allow staff to zoom in from broad area to street maps showing individual buildings.

How it works

 If a mobile social alarm user needs help, he or she presses the emergency button on the handset. The phone automatically dials the control centre until the call is answered. When the call is received by the control centre, the phone sends its position using GPS. The map of the area is automatically brought up on the control centre screen, with a circle marking the location of the call. A duplex speech channel is opened and staff can speak to the caller.

To refine the accuracy of the location data, the handset uses the short message service (SMS) to communicate with one of a series of differential processors positioned around the country, which work out more accurately the location of the handset. The corrected data is sent back to the handset, which forwards it to the control centre, providing a location which is accurate to 5 metres.

The new, accurate position allows the mapping system to zoom in to show the exact location of the caller.

An important feature of the mapping system is the fact it can be annotated with local resources such as hospitals, ambulance and fire stations, or care service providers. In the event of an alarm call, control centre staff can immediately see which is the nearest resource to call on for assistance.

The system can also track care staff as they move from client to client, providing protection wherever they are. Any call for help can be answered swiftly without the need for staff to explain where they are.

The system allows areas to be defined and "watched", with reports if a particular resource moves into, or out of the area. This could be used for example, to keep and eye on a client who regularly goes wandering and gets lost, or to constrain staff to a particular area.

The system will be trialled in late 1998 and 1999.

Coverage Initially, limited to the UK, Spain, The Netherlands

 
 
Map Scales From regional area to locality giving street maps with individual buildings

 
 
Maximum tracking Individuals can be tracked at any time, with no limit on the markers (to show hospitals, fire stations etc.)

 
 
Safe 21 is a pan-European research and development project which aims to take social alarms into the 21st century. It is run by a consortium of 8 organisations with financial support from the European Commission.

Safe 21 will demonstrate how the existing social alarm infrastructure can be used to deliver a much broader range of services for people who are living alone. The project runs 1997-1999 with trials of equipment from late 1998.
Safe 21 Partners Tunstall Telecom United Kingdom
  Sintel Spain
  RGB Medical Devices Spain
  Institute for Rehabilitation Research (iRv) The Netherlands
  Hulpnet The Netherlands
  KITTZ The Netherlands
  Rigel Belgium
  WS Atkins Consultants United Kingdom