Voice-Controlled Emergency Response System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency communication systems are ineffective when users cannot access their wearable devices, and there is no nationwide method to automatically identify and deliver personal medical information to emergency responders during medical emergencies, especially with the shift from landlines to mobile phones.
Innovation Solution
A voice-controlled Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) using cloud-based natural-language-understanding and text-to-speech/speech-to-text services that allows users to speak commands to initiate emergency responses, transmitting relevant personal health information to emergency contacts or public safety answering points (PSAPs) via internet-connected devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wearable wireless device with activation button is used, then emergency response can be initiated, but the user may forget to wear it or find it stigmatizing and not wear it at all
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wearable device with a voice-activated system. Users speak commands to initiate emergency responses instead of physically activating a button on a wearable device. This substitution eliminates the need to wear the device while maintaining emergency response capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a voice processing system and virtual assistant as intermediaries between the user and emergency services. The user's voice commands are processed through this intermediary system, which then triggers the appropriate emergency response, eliminating the need for direct physical interaction with a wearable device.
2Loss of information
If landline telephones are used, then physical location can be determined for emergency calls, but many individuals have dispensed with landlines in favor of mobile phones
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a system that works across multiple telephony platforms including mobile phones, landlines, and VoIP services. The voice processing system can identify and process emergency calls from any of these platforms, making the system universally applicable regardless of the user's chosen telephony service.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a voice processing system as an intermediary that sits between various telephony platforms and emergency services. This intermediary processes voice commands and extracts location information regardless of the originating platform, solving the problem of location tracking across different phone types.
3Reliability
If traditional emergency systems are used, then emergency responses can be initiated, but there is no nationwide method to automatically deliver personal medical information to telecommunicators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having users pre-register their medical information in a database before emergencies occur. When an emergency call is made, the system automatically retrieves and delivers this pre-stored medical information to emergency services, eliminating the need for real-time information gathering during the emergency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a feedback loop where the voice processing system automatically retrieves the caller's medical information from a database based on their identification, and delivers this information back to emergency services. This automated feedback mechanism ensures accurate medical information is provided without manual intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for initiating a personal emergency response is disclosed. The method can include receiving an emergency communication via a virtual assistant, spoken by a user and an urgent situation or an emergency situation. The emergency communication can be processed to determine the nature of the emergency communication and translate the emergency communication into an emergency data message having a digital representation of information related to the emergency communication. If the emergency communication indicates an urgent situation, the system can contact an emergency contact based on stored user preferences. If the emergency communication indicates an emergency situation, then the system can aid in the dispatch of emergency services and provide information about the user to provide a measured response to the emergency communication.