AT&T launches medical radar device that monitors older adults through walls

AT&T has teamed up with medical sensor manufacturer Cherish Health to create a claimed “industry first” radar device capable of detecting emergency conditions and monitoring people who are at risk of falling. It can do this across multiple rooms throughout the home, even through walls. Dubbed the Cherish Serenity, the device uses a combination of AT&T cellular connectivity and Cherish’s radar and AI technology to detect body position, movement, and biometrics without requiring cameras or wearable trackers.

The device is designed to help older generations live more independently while retaining some privacy. Data from the US Census Bureau shows that people over the age of 65 represent the fastest-growing segment of the country’s population, which could lead to increased challenges for family and friends keeping an eye on their safety at home. Sumit Nagpal, Cherish founder and CEO, says that the Cherish Serenity platform ushers in a “whole new class of in-home safety and health monitoring capabilities, all without compromising people’s privacy and dignity, and without requiring any change in how they live.”

The Cherish Serenity resembles a discrete storage box or speaker, with woven gray fabric and wood (or possibly wood-effect). The device begins working from the moment you plug it into a power source, preventing older, less tech-savvy folks from needing to configure anything. It also doesn’t need to be continually recharged like a wearable tracking device.

The Cherish Serenity comes configured with AT&T cellular connectivity. It can also be connected to the FirstNet first responder network, which AT&T helped build.

The Cherish Serenity will be available to enterprise customers such as senior living facilities, nursing homes, and healthcare providers at an undisclosed date sometime later this year. We have reached out to both companies for more information and to clarify how much it’ll cost and will update this story should we hear back.