Dr Zeke Steer quit his job, took up a robotics PhD and began volunteering in a care home to help people like his great-grandmother, who became anxious and aggressive because of dementia. The result are his SmartSocks, which track heart rate, sweat levels and motion to provide insights on the wearer’s wellbeing – most importantly how distressed they are. This AI-driven data gives carers vital early warnings before falls and allows them to intervene before anxiety escalates.
The socks will be a game-changer in care homes and will help people with dementia live longer in their own homes. They look and feel like normal socks, are machine washable and have received positive reviews in care home tests. Now his rapidly-growing start-up, Milbotix, has attracted pledges worth over £550k from over 500 investors in Crowdcube’s early access phase. The funding will be used to grow Milbotix’s team of engineers and clinical researchers, build on their successful trials and continue developing the technology.