Standards Development

Scope

This document provides general requirements for design and information disclosure for assistive products with monitoring, warning, and emergency alert functions, which

- are installed in places where users live; or

- are carried on the user; or

- are attached to user when the user is active outside of the place where the user lives.

This document is not applicable for products that diagnose, prevent, treat, or monitor diseases in the medical field.

Note 1: Places the user lives may include, but are not limited to, homes, smart homes, hospitals, geriatric clinics, residential nursing homes, advanced and long-term care facilities and group homes.

Purpose

Monitoring, warning, and emergency alert products (MWEAP) allow elderly, people with disabilities and other users who like to receive monitoring information and/or receive assistive help to get assistance when they need it, no matter whether they are living in care facilities or living independently. In care facilities, assistants are limited in the attention they can give to each individual person. MWEAP help assistants to provide assistance when it is needed. In independent living situations, MWEAP allow for monitoring (where it is needed) and for individuals to actively alert someone in the case of an emergency. All over the world, more than 100 companies are developing and selling these products. We believe that there is a need for international standardization in order to ensure the safety of the users of the MWEAP and improve the efficiency of assistants.