GTX Corp develops shoe with built in GPS chip to locate missing Alzheimer’s patients

A new shoe has been developed with built in GPS technology. This product is geared towards caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients in order to give them piece of mind in case they are unable to locate the person. The GPS shoe’s chip will allow parties to track the person online and receive real time updates as they are on the move.

Due to the disorientation associated with Alzheimer’s, more and more patients each year wander away from homes and lose their way back. Search and rescue operations through local law enforcement departments are then called to locate the missing patient. In some cases, if search operations are unsuccessful, the patient can die from exposure or hunger. The GPS shoe can not only save lives, but also save the government millions of dollars.

The shoe was developed by the GPS tracking software maker GTX Corporation and Aetrex, a shoe developer. The shoe will retail between $200 and $300 and purchasers will have the option of setting up a boundary system. For $20 a month, the caregiver can receive alerts if the patient leaves the designated area. The GPS shoe has an expected release date of sometime in 2010.

Read: [CNN]