A portable tracking device the size of a thumbtack named Mimamori has been created in order to track lost dementia patients.
Developed in Japan, the device has already been successful in locating lost dementia patients and bringing them home. In trials, Mimamori tracked down those lost in less than half the time it took without the device.
As Japan hosts the world's most aged population, the creation of this device was important. By 2025 the country expects that one in every three people will be over the age of 75.
The device operates by city-wide cooperation. The tracking works via Bluetooth, meaning people wearing the device must be within a certain radius to be able to be found. The more people that download the app, the more radius that is covered and therefore the chances of finding a missing person grow.
Manufacturers are hoping the device will prove to be useful, particularly in hospitals and nursing homes where patients often wander off.
