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Old 12-04-2014, 09:09 AM   #21
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Old 12-04-2014, 09:20 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ERD50 View Post
I've actually put some thought into a product like this (though I'm not motivated enough to do the work to bring it to market)...

My thoughts were a little 'box' with a very easy to use interface, and a bunch of physical 'tags'. One type of tag would be 'active', with a beeper/timer /communication in it, another 'dumb' tag would just have a nice human-readable ID#, and a bar code for the 'box'.

So let's say you want a reminder in a week that the open milk should be tossed. Grab a 'dumb tag', scan it at the box, push the "one week" and "one time" reminder button (there would be simple buttons for elapsed hours, days, weeks, etc, and direct date entry) and then make a simple voice recording " Milk will be one week old ". Affix the 'dumb tag' to the milk jug (you would need a variety of little attachment do-hickeys to make it convenient to attach the tags to various shaped objects, rubber-band straps, clips, wire-ties, etc).

A week later, the 'box' would alarm, and announce the tag ID# and play your recorded message. There would also be a simple 'review' button, to review what is coming due.

The 'active tags' could serve to help locate whatever it is you needed to do, as they could beep on their own (and could hopefully play the voice recording as well, I hate tracking down beeps in the house).

-ERD50
I coach FIRST lego league robotics... Every year they have to come up with a themed invention (not to do with robotics or legos). A few years ago the theme was food safety. My son's team had an idea for a smart label/smart fridge. Basically food labels would have the expiration date built into a barcode. As you scanned the food (or if you used a membership card at the supermarket it would send it to you device) it input the expiry date. The fridge would have a panel to notify you when things were close to expiration. Your device (phone, computer, google cloud, whatever) would also notify you.

No need for bluetooth.

FWIW - they rejected this idea and went with a different invention... but they had it pretty well thought out before choosing a different idea.
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Old 12-04-2014, 09:21 AM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ERD50 View Post
I've actually put some thought into a product like this (though I'm not motivated enough to do the work to bring it to market)...

My thoughts were a little 'box' with a very easy to use interface, and a bunch of physical 'tags'. One type of tag would be 'active', with a beeper/timer /communication in it, another 'dumb' tag would just have a nice human-readable ID#, and a bar code for the 'box'.

So let's say you want a reminder in a week that the open milk should be tossed. Grab a 'dumb tag', scan it at the box, push the "one week" and "one time" reminder button (there would be simple buttons for elapsed hours, days, weeks, etc, and direct date entry) and then make a simple voice recording " Milk will be one week old ". Affix the 'dumb tag' to the milk jug (you would need a variety of little attachment do-hickeys to make it convenient to attach the tags to various shaped objects, rubber-band straps, clips, wire-ties, etc).

A week later, the 'box' would alarm, and announce the tag ID# and play your recorded message. There would also be a simple 'review' button, to review what is coming due.

The 'active tags' could serve to help locate whatever it is you needed to do, as they could beep on their own (and could hopefully play the voice recording as well, I hate tracking down beeps in the house).

-ERD50
SWMBO uses her iphone as a reminder - simple (for her) fast memos that alert her to auctions going off, birthdays, when to do about anything (we know when the milk has gone of when it curdles in the coffee). Of course no clips or tags or bar codes or box IDs, but you can't have everything.
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Old 12-04-2014, 09:29 AM   #24
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Originally Posted by chilkoot View Post
I am reminded of an observation made once by the late George Carlin: If you nail together two things that have never been nailed together before some schmuck will buy it from you.
Particularly true at Christmas. "Well, we KNOW Grandpa doesn't have one of those, so let's buy that for him."

I've lived without it this long, although I do use a Sonicare at my dentist's recommendation rather than a plain toothbrush. I think I'll continue to live without it.
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Old 12-04-2014, 09:37 AM   #25
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Originally Posted by imoldernu View Post
This was funny, at first... but then...
Since I are a senior, and gettin' there with memory problems, I can see some possibilities.

How about a chip... in a calendar... on the medicine organizer, the vacuum, the dishwasher, the mailbox, telephone, in short , on everything that should be done on a schedule, by a senior who lives alone.
A pre-planned schedule that responds on a bracelet "notifier".
Telephone call to check in with daughter on Monday and Thursday.
Church on Sunday
Medication on schedule..
Washing machine schedule
Day and date

... and many many more things that we oldsters tend to lose track of. A one time set up, by self, or by a care provider or relative... to establish the kind of regimen that becomes evermore important as we age.

So, today, the toothbrush... tomorrow... who knows?
Google calendar is my lifesaver...
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Old 12-04-2014, 09:42 AM   #26
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Amazon.com: Oral-B Pro 5000 SmartSeries with Bluetooth Electric Rechargeable Power Toothbrush: Health & Personal Care

Apparently Amazon is pushing this same toothbrush for $79.99 TODAY ONLY! heh
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Old 12-04-2014, 09:55 AM   #27
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So, dad forgets to take his meds, but remembers how to operate the app that reminds him to take his meds? Good luck. I think the challenges here are not technological.
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Old 12-04-2014, 01:50 PM   #28
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Now just apply this technology to birth control ...
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Old 12-04-2014, 02:09 PM   #29
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Originally Posted by mpeirce View Post
I think I paid more than that for electric toothbrushes before.


The real big things now in connected devices are things like Fitbit, wifi scales, blood pressure monitors, etc.
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Old 12-04-2014, 03:42 PM   #30
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If you really wanted to buy this from Amazon, you can buy it for $59.99. There's an Amazon coupon for $20 off any Oral B series 3000-7000. This unit qualifies but they messed up the coupon for the 5000 series. You can find it on the Oral B 4000 unit, but you need to call them to get the discount. This really is a good price as Walmart is the next lowest at $86 w/mail in rebate of $15. I just bought another version of this 5000 toothbrush, but since my kid has an Ipad for school, I called Amazon to switch to this model. Combining this with a Waterpik and we've been getting glowing reviews from our dentist and hygienist about virtually no plaque...and that's a first for DW. We were told to keep up the maintenance, so we're not complaining.
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