Motion detector for seniors among five winners at citizen hackathon

Discreetly stuck on a door or sitting on a shelf, a matchbox-size device called Birdhouse monitors the daily activity of seniors living alone.

- Osmond Chia

If it senses no movement for an extended period, it alerts family members or social workers via an app or e-mail and they can then check on them.

Unlike many monitoring tools for seniors, Birdhouse does not use heat mapping, or record audio or video - it simply tracks signs of movement as an indication that the senior is still active.

Developed by a team that was placed among the top five at the Build For Good 2024 citizen hackathon organised by Open Government Products (OGP), the device is among efforts to use technology to help seniors living alone, so that they are not left unnoticed.

Developer Carlos Chacon, 42, said the prototype gadget does not include a camera as seniors interviewed by the team wanted privacy. Mr Chacon told The Sunday Times: "Birdhouse is ideal for caregivers who can't visit seniors living alone daily. They can get frequent reports that indicate that the senior is okay, so this gives them peace of mind."