The Ethos Project is a multi-year funded project developing an individualised heat-health early warning system for older people at Griffith University.
Having completed the first trial of the system with older people in South East Queensland during summer 2023-2024, the Project is now trialling the system as an iPhone app to be tested by people living in South East Queensland and Hervey Bay particularly older residents.
The system is an in-home device that:
- Collects real-time humidity and temperature data from inside and outside the home using four non-invasive sensors.
- Connects to the local weather station and displays that information to the user to assist with planning daily and weekly activities.
- Provides individualised heat alerts when projected core temperature is increasing.
- Suggests cooling strategies that are acceptable and accessible to the user.
How the Ethos System works
Upon installation, Ethos team members input the user’s height, weight, age and sex into the device. This allows the system to individualise heat alerts to that specific person. The list of cooling options offered by the system during heat alerts is personalised by selecting strategies that are accessible and acceptable to the user.
Heat preparedness increased by 3.4 times among participants after the trial compared to before the trial, and participants are 4.3 times more likely to be well informed about heatwaves and the consequences to their health after the trial compared to before the trial.
Want to get involved?
Older Queenslanders are invited to register their interest in participating in the in-home trials of the heat health early warning system during the 2024-2025 (Phase 2) summer period. Every participant receives an individual report of the temperature and alert data collected from their home.
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