Newton's Meter

1. In Singapore, 67,600 elderly people live alone, representing 11.6% of the elderly population, with the percentage increasing steadily over the years. Globally, 12% of the estimated 769,413,300 elderly persons live alone, with women disproportionately likely to live alone. 

These raise a number of safety concerns, and as the changes in family dynamics from the extended family of yesteryears to the nuclear family of today start manifesting in our elderly population, it becomes increasingly pertinent to address this. Chief among these concerns are the occurrence of falls, with people above the age of 60 suffering the greatest number of fatal falls globally. In Singapore, 40% of injury related deaths result from falls with at least a third of the elderly population suffering at least one fall a year. 

After a fall, the most common form of injury sustained is traumatic injury, most commonly head trauma and fractures. It's well documented that optimal treatment to minimise fatalities and severe effects of traumatic injury must take place within 60 minutes(Golden Hour), and ideally 10 minutes(Platinum Ten). As such, it is crucial to send for medical assistance immediately following the fall. 

However, many times falls lead to a loss of consciousness where the patient is unable to call for help. Even when fallers are conscious, only 50% are able to get off the floor, with the other 50% stuck in a long lie either due to fractures or weakness induced by the fall. This means that a majority of the time, fallers are unable to call for help when they critically need it. This is exacerbated by greater segments of the elderly living alone, while their caregivers live in separate houses. This increases the risk to them and causes anxiety among caregivers, who may need to keep travelling to monitor the elderly person in their care. Even if caregivers live in the same household, constantly keeping an eye can take a toll on them and prevent them from focusing on other things. 

This has a disproportionate impact on women who form the bulk(66%) of caregivers and spend 50% more time involved in caregiving compared to men. The high amount of involvement currently required may inhibit them from personal and professional pursuits, furthering gender gaps in the corporate sector, deepen economic inequality, and reinforce gender stereotypes.

Commercially available SOS solutions typically come in the form of buttons in certain areas of the house, or less commonly, as manually-activated SOS button wearables. These are unable to serve a majority of the elderly population as they may not be able to get up and press the button, or may be unconscious and not able to activate their wearable. This is even more alarming since the ones who do fall unconscious have suffered more severe head trauma and are at the highest risk of severe injury unless immediately attended to. 

2. Modern technological developments also have a tendency of being too complex and incrementally building upon prior knowledge. For our target populations of the Elderly and Young Children, they may not have been exposed sufficiently to prior innovations and thus may be disoriented. From perception surveys and focus-groups carried out by the Infocomm Media Development Agency(IMDA), we've also found that many elderly people are not receptive to eldercare technology and view as a hassle, rather than convenience. This is of concern as eldercare technology has the potential to greatly increase the length and quality of life of the elderly, and yet it's not being tapped into as much. 

3. In India, each year 96,000 children on average go missing. Many times, after a kidnapping the children could end up being killed or abused. Even in cases without any malicious actors, children may end up getting lost and not be able to find their parents for an extended period of time or may be permanently separated, leading to trauma as well as not being able to be cared for. Globally, 7.9% of males and 19.7% of females have been victims of Child Sexual Abuse, with girls disproportionately impacted. In India, 42% of girls are sexually abused as children. These lead to severe lifelong trauma, significant physical injuries, and poor quality of life outcomes in adulthood. In cases of child sexual abuse, children are usually very shocked and intimidated by the situation and perpetrator(s) that they may be unable to call for help. The use of a mobile phone is also a very clear indication of communication and may alert and aggravate perpetrators who may further harm the child.

4. Studies show that 33% of physicians, and clinical care providers at large are experiencing burnout at any point in time. Burnout causes significant physical and mental exhaustion and has been linked to the development of long-term mental illnesses such as depression. Burnout on the part of caregivers also increases the chance of mistakes made in administering care, which could have fatal implications for patients.

Some causes of burnout are high-strain present in jobs, as well as constant interaction with people. Multitasking behaviour, which is a requirement in many healthcare jobs, has also been linked to higher levels of stress and greater propensity for burnout. This can lead to adverse consequences for both healthcare workers and patients.

Sources:

Occurrence and Impact of Falls Globally (WHO)

Percentage of Elderly living alone in Singapore (Ministry of Health)

Living Arrangements of Older Persons Globally (UN)

Approach to Falls among the Elderly (Singapore Medical Journal)

Gender Gap Among Caregivers (Arbor Assisted Living)

Current Technology Only Manages To Complicate Things (Forbes)

Missing Children Globally (Global Missing Children's Network)

Prevalence of Child Sexual Abuse in India and Globally (PubMed Central)

Prevalence and Impact of Burnout in Healthcare Workers (PubMed Central)

Multitasking and Healthcare Provider Outcomes (BMC)

Newton's Meter is a machine learning based Personal Safety SOS device that critically reduces medical response times and facilitates the saving of lives.

It can detect crashes and falls automatically, without any need for human intervention, allowing it to send an SOS message with the user's exact GPS coordinates to 10 contacts, including the emergency services, even when the user is incapacitated and/or in a deserted area. This allows for a significant reduction in the time it takes for the user to get medical attention.

It also comes along with an emergency button activated via long press, so the user can seek help if they are lost, or discreetly activate it if they feel threatened.

It achieves this through an accelerometer, machine learning module, as well as a Bluetooth-low-energy(BLE) connection to the Newton's Meter Mobile App. The accelerometer detects the impact. The machine learning module determines a customised impact threshold for each individual user after 150 hours of use. The moment this threshold is passed, an SOS message is transmitted cellularly through the Newton's Meter App to 10 preselected contacts, including the emergency services, who are notified immediately.

We have also successfully tested a prototype that uses Narrowband-IoT(NB-IoT) as a means of transmission so that Newton's Meter could be used independent of a cellphone or cellular connection.

Newton's Meter's key differentiator is that it works automatically upon impact, as well as severely mitigates the possibility of false alarms due to the thresholds being tapered to each user. 

Crucially, Newton's Meter is a plug-and-play one-time set-up solution with no recurring/subscription fees, following the principles of intuitive and senior-centric design. This allows caregivers to quickly and affordably begin using it, while allowing the elderly to interact with it easily, and also increase their receptiveness to technology as a whole.

 Newton's Meter also works globally, regardless of the country of purchase. It also only transmits the user's location upon accident/emergency/threat and does not track, so as to preserve user privacy.

While the previous paragraphs elaborated on our B2C offering of the Newton's Meter Device, we also have a B2B offering which is the Newton's Meter Mesh, designed for healthcare systems and care homes.

The Newton's Meter Mesh consists of Transceivers placed in the area of operations, a command and control module, as well as numerous Newton's Meter Devices.

The key differences between the Mesh and the standalone Device are that (a) the Mesh transmits through a Local Area Network(LAN) and thus can be used even in areas without cellular connection—such as hospitals in war-torn areas; (b) since all the information collected by the Mesh is localised, tracking can be enabled and this allows for big data analytics as well as numerous safety and security functions.

Along with the automatic detection of crashes and falls, the Mesh also provides the exact floor of the patient and pinpoints the location based off the nearest transceiver, allowing for rapid response. 

The Mesh also allows for contact tracing, allowing for quick detection of known contacts and ringfencing of infectious disease. This is done through tracking the various interactions between the devices. Idle tracking is also present so patients who may be suffering from a long lie or have become unconscious without any impact can be attended to.

The Mesh also enables geofencing and theft-proof access control. This is done so that patients of Dementia and Alzheimer's, among other similar illnesses do not wander off the premises and reduces the manpower requirement of the institution. 

A crucial differentiator here is theft-proof access control; this is where Newton's Meter Devices of authorised personnel can be used as key to access areas in the hospital. However, unlike physical keys or RFID-based systems which can be stolen, the machine learning module in Newton's Meter is customised to the authorised user and thus, if stolen, is automatically able to determine that it isn't the same person using it and ceases to function as a key as well as sends out an alert. This heightens the security state of the hospital, as well as enables them to confidently hire contract/short-term workers when manpower is tight, since access to medicines and patients would be restricted.

Lastly, the big data analytics that the Mesh provides, in terms of hot and cold spots detected based on footfall and so on informs administrators on area management and expansion to further streamline the system.

Newton's Meter serves the elderly population, especially those who aren't well-acquainted with technology, as well as their caregivers, both at home and in the healthcare system. It also serves young children who might be lost or feel threatened. 

Currently, the vast majority of devices that detect crashes and falls require manual activation, which means that if the victim is unconscious, or unable to reach the button, they would not be able to receive timely medical attention. The elderly are at a greater propensity to lose consciousness after a fall, and also at a greater risk to damage their bones which may impede mobility. Modern technological applications also work on the assumption that users have prior knowledge in preceding technology. These applications can have instructions and methods of set-up that are complicated and confusing. This is especially so for the elderly, who may not have interacted with even the previous generations of technology, and find themselves overwhelmed.

Newton's Meter's automatic fall detection ensures that every single time users require medical attention, they will receive it rapidly and maximise their chance of recovery. The machine learning module that adjusts the fall threshold makes sure that even light falls are detected. It also severely minimises the possibility of false alarms, reducing the burden on the healthcare system. Lastly, the seamless plug-and-play setup and simple guidelines mean that users can be empowered to use Newton's Meter themselves and stay safe, current, and independent. This also provides caregivers with peace of mind, and allows them to be less worried.

For Healthcare systems, Newton's Meter augments the level of safety and security on the premises, while also reducing the manpower requirement. This allows for greater resources to be provided for caregiving, as well as makes the caregiving process more convenient and integrated. Lastly, it enables the healthcare system to take in a quick infusion of extra manpower when needed without compromising security.

Young children have a very real risk of getting separated from their parents and then getting lost. This can pose many safety concerns, such as kidnapping. Newton's Meter's emergency button allows for a rapid and discreet call for help with the exact GPS location, enabling parents to quickly locate their children. This is especially so for young children for whom mobile phones may not be feasible due to them not being able to describe their surroundings well, or being in a state of panic. Mobile phones also can lead to cybersecurity risks as well as aggravate potential kidnappers/perpetrators as it's a widely recognised form of communication.

In Singapore, we live in a community with an ageing population and Newton's Meter has been heavily involved in senior-centric design initiatives and discussions. One of them was the Lab on Wheels initiative organised by the Infocomm Media Development Authority. 

This initiative introduced the elderly to simple and intuitive technology to (a) gain their feedback and refine our design processes (b) make them more receptive to technology as a whole. Through Newton's Meter, we managed to give 100% an enjoyable experience. For 76% of participants, it was their first time interacting with smart devices and yet we managed to take steps to integrate technology into their lifestyles. We've also been strong advocates for senior-centric design at the Emerging Stronger Conversations in Singapore. These have allowed us to better understand the needs of the elderly, especially the need for independence, which has greatly informed our implementation of Newton's Meter. In Singapore, the elderly are also typically in a lower-income bracket which led to us making Newton's Meter subscription-free.

Our team also has an active presence in India, where cases of child abduction and sexual assault are widespread. We learned that panic in these situations typically means that children are unable to coherently articulate their surroundings. We also heard that the use of phones also aggravated perpetrators and was a risk factor for violence. These have been circumvented with the GPS coordinates, and discretion offered by Newton's Meter.

At our core, we aim to make Newton's Meter intuitive and easy to set up and use. This is so that our core demographic of users which are the Elderly and Children, are able to understand and utilise the device rather than be overwhelmed or confused by it. The short set-up time, and in-house support for B2B set-up also ensures that stakeholders such as healthcare systems and caregivers are disrupted as little as possible, increasing the quality of care, providing peace of mind, and reducing the monitoring burden on caregivers.

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we've found it difficult to expand overseas both in the setting up of B2C distribution channels, as well as B2B installation pilots. 

Applying to Solve is a way by which I seek to present Newton's Meter on a larger platform and reach out to potential clients and beneficiaries worldwide. This would allow us to expand the reach of Newton's Meter as well as provide us with critical media coverage that would lead to greater awareness and adoption of Newton's Meter.

In our experience, regulatory hurdles have been an agonisingly slow process and delayed our rollout significantly. With the support of Solve's legal resources, further barriers could be overcome in an expedited manner.

Lastly and most crucially, becoming a Solver introduces me to a community of changemakers. Working in Singapore, I've seen how critical it is to have a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, with professionals bringing a vast tapestry of skills and perspectives. Being part of such a group allows me to tap in on the expertise of my peers, as well as give me avenues to refine Newton's Meter for communities around the world.

First and foremost, Newton's Meter is able to detect crashes and falls automatically upon impact. A majority of the time, people who fall, especially the elderly tend to either become unconscious or unable to move due to injuries from the fall, or from weakness which results in a long lie.

Existing manual activated SOS systems are unable to serve these individuals who are in fact the most vulnerable and most in need of immediate medical attention since the fall takes a greater toll on them. Timely medical help is crucial and for almost all injuries, treatment within the Golden Hour and ideally, the Platinum Ten for more severe injuries, is crucial. Thus, Newton's Meter is able to call for help on behalf of the people who both need it the most and are currently being underserved by existing solutions. The caregivers being notified of the accident/emergency within a second of its occurrence provides peace of mind and relieves caregiving stress.

The next differentiator here is the use of a patent-pending motion printing module in Newton's Meter. The motion printing module is a machine learning based application that is able to detect specific movements of the user, and in 150 hours of use determines a threshold that is tapered to the user. This ensures that Newton's Meter is reliably activated each time there's a fall or crash that could cause harm, while also keeping false positives below 1%. Through this, Newton's Meter acquires help for users while also not overburdening the healthcare system.

Another key feature here is the no-subscription model that we offer, along with global compatibility. This keeps Newton's Meter affordable, as well as removes the hassle of paying fees monthly. Global compatibility means that no replacement is needed when people travel or even migrate. This engenders much greater convenience and versatility compared to products in the market that charge subscriptions or only work locally. 

Newton's Meter also has a seamless patent-pending design, and allows for children to discreetly call for help if they feel threatened, without aggravating potential perpetrators. It is activated via long press and thus significantly reduces that chance of false alarms.

The Newton's Meter Mesh for Healthcare Systems also allows for Geofencing and Contact Tracing along with its use as a fall-detection device. It also allows for differentiation and marking between devices in a same set, this allows functional groups to be created and enforced seamlessly, which is crucial in pandemics like the one we're living in today. While many devices can perform bluetooth based contact tracing, and there are Geofence tokens available as well, Newton's Meter integrates all of these functionalities into one solution. This greatly increases convenience on the part of the Healthcare System as well as reduces the possibility of human error(not bringing/wearing a certain token). It thus provides an all-in-one safety, security, and data analytics solution. 

The most unique feature in the Newton's Meter Mesh is the security application of theft-proof Access Control. Common methods of access control such as physical keys or RFID cards can be stolen and then compromised. More secure methods, like Biometric passes require the storage of sensitive personal data and can also be prohibitively expensive. Newton's Meter addresses this gap. 

Due to its Bluetooth signals, Newton's Meter can be programmed as a key, and respective devices can be given authorisations as per the user. However, if anyone tries to steal another person's Newton's Meter, the motion printing module in the device immediately recognises that it isn't the same person due to fine differences in movement and deviation from the recognised profile. The moment this detection is done, the device automatically loses all authorisation and begins to send an alert stating that it's been stolen. This ensures a high level of security at great convenience and affordability without the need for storing sensitive data. This also allows for a leaner security presence required in Healthcare Systems, which are many times understaffed and lead to overwork among healthcare workers.

Lastly, and crucially, Newton's Meter champions the concept of simple plug-and-play senior centric design. In a world where technological solutions are becoming more and more complicated, and sometimes require specialist/prior knowledge to effectively set-up or use. Newton's Meter seeks to remove that hassle altogether, through a one-time set-up taking less than 10 minutes, with little knowledge or action required on the part of the user. We believe that this is crucial, as the gap between developers and users of technology widens, especially in eldercare applications. During the Lab on Wheels Initiative, many elderly participants told me that they found technological developments to be more of a frustration than a convenience, and that they felt disenfranchised by technology. Here is where Newton's Meter seeks to affect catalytic change across the entire industry by presenting and advocating for senior-centric design. This would make products much easier to use for caregivers, while also including our elderly users and giving them a sense of independence and empowerment.

1. Ensure every person who requires medical attention after a crash/fall receives it rapidly.

With automatic detection upon impact, medical attention will be called for immediately after the incident, even if the victim is unconscious or alone.

2. Reduce fall-related fatalities and severe injuries among the elderly and children.

By significantly reducing medical response times, we are able to mitigate the severity of trauma related injuries since a majority of them are exacerbated by delayed response.

3. Reduce kidnapping and sexual assault cases against children, and prevent children from going missing.

Through discreet activation, children are immediately able to alert their parents and the emergency services of their exact GPS location. This reduces the need for them to describe their surroundings and is less likely to alert and aggravate a perpetrator. If a child is lost and does not know the way back, a simple long press can inform their parents of their location. This allows for rapid intervention without escalation of the situation.

4. Provide caregivers peace-of-mind even when they're not around.

With caregivers informed within a second of any accident, emergency, or threat, there isn't a need for constant monitoring. This frees up caregivers time, and allows for them to be assured that the people they care for are safe.

5. Facilitate greater Gender Equality in Caregiving and Care.

By reducing the time and labour intensiveness of caregiving activities in both eldercare and childcare, caregivers, who are 66% women, would be more free to pursue professional and personal aspirations, without compromising on the quality of care. 

Among the elderly population, women are also more likely to live alone and are thus currently underserved by existing solutions. Through Newton's Meter's automatic fall detection, they can receive the care they require rapidly, even if they're unconscious or alone.

6. Reduce overwork among healthcare staff.

By reducing the manpower requirement in healthcare systems through an integrated safety, security, and analytics system, we reduce the need for healthcare workers to double up as security personnel/engage in constant monitoring of areas. By heightening the levels of security in the healthcare system, hospitals are also more able to hire contract labour when required, reducing burnout.

7. Prevent the spread of infectious disease in eldercare centres.

Through contact tracing and ring-fencing, as well as geofencing applications,  we are able to quickly detect, track, and isolate close contacts and contaminated areas in infectious disease cases. This prevents the spread of disease, which is crucial in eldercare centres, since many patients have reduced immunity.

8. Show the elderly how technology can empower them.

Through intuitive and easy to use senior-centric design, we aim to close the technology gap between developer and consumer, and allow the elderly to interact with and use technology for their convenience, rather than be hassled by it.

1. Average time taken for medical help to be received after falls

2. (a) Fall Death Rate

    (b)Disability Adjusted Life Years(DALY) from Falls

3. (a) Number of Kidnappings against Children

    (b) Number of Sexual Assaults on Children

    (c) Number of Missing Children

4. Perceived Stress Scale

5. (a) Proportion of time spent on unpaid care work, by sex

    (b) Proportion of falls resulting in death or severe injury, by sex

6. (a) Maslach Burnout Inventory(MBI)

    (b) Average Working Hours among Healthcare Staff

7. (a) Number of Infectious Disease Clusters

    (b) Size of Infectious Disease Clusters

8. Technology Acceptance Model(TAM), notably

    (i) Perceived Usefulness(PU)

    (ii) Perceived Ease of Use(PEOU)

With reference to the problems detailed earlier, (1: Unconscious Fallers remain unserved, 2: Seniors' lack of receptiveness to technology, 3: Child Abduction and Sexual Abuse, 4: Burnout among Healthcare Workers)

1. Newton's Meter calls for help automatically when the user can't; this significantly reduces medical response times and decreases both fatality and severe injury rates. This also provides peace of mind to caregivers and allows for greater flexibility and a lower investment of time required.

In the short term, we decrease the chance of serious injury from falls. In the long run, we can also reduce the post-fall anxiety syndrome amongst the elderly population. Post-fall anxiety syndrome can lead to depression, voluntary avoidance of movement, and anxiety. 

These can significantly hamper the quality of life of the person. However, many of these anxieties are induced through a long lie, a post-fall condition whereby the elderly person is unattended to and unable to get up.

Receiving prompt medical attention mitigates the chance of long lies and would thus reduce the occurrence of post-fall anxiety syndrome. This would lead to the elderly being able to pursue a more active lifestyle and enjoy a heightened quality of life.

2. Newton's Meter's intuitive and senior-centric design allows for greater ease of use among the elderly, while also serving a function useful to them is likely to engender greater acceptance as per the Technology Acceptance Model(TAM).

In the short term, this would mean that the elderly are able to have greater engagement with Newton's Meter and feel like active users of it. Elderly people living alone will also feel a greater sense of independence and feel empowered by it.

In the long run, this would result in a change of attitudes towards the idea of eldercare technology itself and spur greater adoption of technology, and the derived benefits thereof. This was one of our findings through the IMDA Lab on Wheels initiative, where exposure to intuitive technology engenders greater receptiveness to the concept of technology.

3. The emergency button feature on Newton's Meter allows for rapid and discreet dissemination of an SOS message with the exact GPS coordinates. 

This allows for better protection of children and informs caregivers immediately, without escalating the situation or putting the children at risk.

Short term impacts of this include potential perpetrators being less likely to attempt abduction or sexual abuse once knowledge of this solution becomes more widespread.

The long term impact here would be an end to the paralysing culture of terror that exists in certain communities among children and caregivers, where they constantly feel the need to be on the lookout. 

Now, children would be able to play freely with less fear while caregivers don't feel as much of a need to constantly monitor children.

4. Newton's Meter is able to conduct monitoring in the B2B setup, as well as enhance safety and security in the healthcare system. Newton's Meter can also perform contact tracing, a labour intensive job that is usually required of healthcare workers during infectious disease outbreaks. 

These applications make it such that healthcare workers have lesser need to multitask and have a comparatively lighter workload. These risk factors reduce the risk of healthcare workers burning out in the short run, creating a more sustainable workplace.

In the long term, this would lead to heightened quality of eldercare in these institutions as healthcare professionals would be able to have more focus and feel less exhausted, as well as significantly mitigate the risk of disease outbreaks in hospitals and nursing homes. This is crucial as the elderly are typically immunocompromised.

Sources:

Approach to falls among the Elderly (Singapore Medical Journal)

Technology Acceptance Model (MIS Quarterly)

Prevalence of Child Sexual Abuse and Resulting Fears (Hindustan Times)

Prevalence and Impact of Burnout in Healthcare Workers (PubMed Central)

One of the core technologies in Newton's Meter is Machine Learning, which is the foundation of our motion printing module. This works by capturing each movement of the user over 150 hours of use until a profile is created. This profile allows for our machine learning module to adjust the impact threshold and serves as a reference point for theft-proof Access Control. This is because different people have different fall thresholds, with the elderly for example, likely to require medical attention for a fall that may not harm an adolescent.

Another key technology we use here is Internet of Things(IoT) technology. Essentially, Newton's Meter is able to 'communicate' with the mobile phone through the Bluetooth low-energy(BLE) connection, sending an SOS message and exact GPS coordinates. The phone then transmits this cellularly through SMS as coordinated by the Newton's Meter App. This application allows for Newton's Meter to call for help on behalf of someone incapacitated. We've also developed a prototype that uses Narrowband-IoT(NB-IoT) as an alternative means of transmission. The interconnectedness of the devices and and the transceivers in the Newton's Meter Mesh, with everything being monitored on the Command and Control Console is another manifestation of IoT technology in Newton's Meter.

Next, we also use sensor technology to help us detect the impact from crashes and falls, regardless of the orientation of the crash or fall. These includes accelerometers and 9DOF sensors, with Biometric sensors currently being looked into for R&D. We also use both sensor technology, as well as IoT technology to be able to deliver big data analytics for cost and productivity optimisation, such as noting areas with high and low footfall respectively. 

Our leadership team consists of people across the world bringing perspectives from the communities they live and have been raised in. We're headquartered in Singapore and our team here comprises of people from all the major races in Singapore(Chinese, Malay, Indian), and we have a diversity of gender in core segments such as product development. We also have a team in India with strong regional diversity, as well as Indonesia, with people from ethnic and religious minorities(Christians, Indo people) represented. Lastly, we work closely with points-of-contact in Chile, the Nordic region, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, China, and Hong Kong.

The diverse backgrounds of our team members open up a tapestry of ideas and experiences, as well as specific challenges unique to countries and cultures, allowing us to be able to serve them in a more targeted and effective manner. Such challenges included concerns about Women and Children's safety in India, which led to the development of the Emergency Button. Another challenge was deep excavation sites for Mining in Chile, without cellular connection, which spurred the use of transceivers in the Newton's Meter Mesh.

We also have a great diversity in disciplines and approaches to problem-solving, with many of our team members not necessarily having backgrounds in technology. Beyond our team, we also try to incorporate diverse perspectives through discussions and programmes. A few that we've participated in have been the IMDA Lab on Wheels initiative from where we further optimised our senior-centric design and the Emerging Stronger Conversations where we advocated for it. We also have regular interfaces with young entrepreneurs through ACE, as well as initiatives such as CAMPFIRE. These allow us provide guidance and experience to new entrepreneurs while also learning about novel approaches to problem solving and business models.

Equity is crucial to us as a social impact enterprise and we try to maximise the participation of the underserved and unheard. One was the Lab on Wheels where we gained practical feedback from the elderly, who usually aren't considered in technological development, even when it's for them. During our Web Development process, we also made it a point to look for women developers, so that through action, we could encourage more women in technology.

Finally, inclusion lies at the heart of our workplace culture. We have zero tolerance for discriminatory rhetoric and viewpoints, and we promote inclusion through education. This is done via inviting team members to speak about their unique personal experiences and how their identities social, cultural, and professional have shaped them. This allows for knowledge sharing and strong cohesion while also ensuring that everybody's voice is heard. We also have an open feedback system and encourage the questioning of old methods. Our leadership's door is always open for any concerns to be raised and forums, public and private, are made available.

1. Value Proposition: 

A. B2C Solution:

In the event of any fall/accident/emergency/threat, the mobilisation delay causes a majority of fatalities, as most of the time the victim is either unconscious or physically incapacitated due to injury and thus unable to call for help.

Newton's Meter is a machine learning based Internet of Things(IoT) wearable device, that facilitates the saving of lives. 

It works intuitively and automatically, sending real-time GPS location with an SOS message to 10 preset phone numbers, within one second of any fall/accident/emergency or threat occurrence. 

The machine learning module keeps the false alarm occurrence limited to 1%.

B. B2B solution,:

In addition to Patient Safety, Newton's Meter provides 

i. Preventive Security (Geofencing, theft-proof Access Control), 

ii. Cost and Productivity Optimisation

iii. Big Data Analytics 

Newton's Meter generates social impact by ensuring caregiving is more affordable, less intrusive, and less manpower reliant. This gives caregivers peace of mind and greater flexibility, empowers direct beneficiaries with greater independence, and provides analytics to further streamline the process.

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2. The key differentiating feature of Newton's Meter (B2C & B2B):

Supported by our Machine Learning module with patent pending motion printing technology, Newton's Meter works automatically upon impact, requiring no human intervention.

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3. Key Customers

A.B2C: Personal Smart Wearable

      Segment 1: Elderly

      Segment 2: Children

The Newton's Meter (B2C) personal smart wearable device retails at US$ 150.

It is a one-time cost and there are no subscription/recurring fees. Newton's Meter also works globally, requiring no adjustments/further purchases if users travel overseas.

The package includes a Newton's Meter Device, lanyards(for wearing), detachable baseplates(for placement on vehicles). The associated Newton's Meter App is downloadable for free on the App Store and Google Play Store. 

Customers: Caregivers and the Elderly

Beneficiaries: The Elderly and Children(direct), Caregivers(indirect)

B. B2B: Enterprise Safety and Security System

       Segment 1: Eldercare Homes

       Segment 2: Hospitals

The Newton's Meter (B2B) Industrial SMART Wearable System retails at US$ 25000 and upwards, depending on the breadth and depth of features required.

The B2B Newton's Meter Smart Wearable system comprises of the following components :   

1.A set of 50(or more) Newton's Meter Devices (to be given to patients and staff), 

2. Transceivers as required OR Custom Android App(to create a LAN)

3.Command and Control Console

4. Dashboard Analytics

The B2B system is seamlessly scalable and can be redeployed without any major changes in system configuration.

It takes just 2 hours to set up the entire system, with in-house support for set-up provided,

It works globally, can work in areas with no cellular reception, and without any recurring subscription cost.

Customers: Healthcare Systems 

Beneficiaries: Patients(direct), Healthcare Systems(indirect)

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4. Cost Structure

The Breakdown in Costs is as follows:

a. Bill of Materials(BOM): 70%

b. Production Cost inclusive of salaries, testing, and certification: 25%

c. Production Line Set-Up Cost: 3%

d. Packaging Cost: 2%

As we start to scale up, there will be additional costs for Employee Salaries as we'd require points-of-contact globally, as well marketing costs. After a greater level of expansion, grants such as the Small Volume Production(SVP) Grant may not be applicable, which can also lead to an increase in costs. Certification/Patenting/Regulatory costs are all likely to go down since a majority of them are/were one-time costs.

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5. Revenue Sources and Surplus Management

a. Revenue Sources

     i. B2B: 70%

    ii. B2C: 30%

b. Surplus Management

The majority of surplus will be directed towards Research and Development into further refining Newton's Meter in a few key areas

     i. Power Management, alternative power sources such as Solar/Kinetic to reduce both electricity costs and charging requirements for users

     ii. Greater Sensor Integration, such as certain biometric sensors for Preventive Accident Management as well as Healthcare Analytics

We'll raise greater awareness through marketing initiatives and participating in more technology and entrepreneurship competitions. With this greater outreach, and as borders reopen, we'll start to set up greater distribution channels for our B2C offering. Tapping into networks we've built during CES, with some key target countries being Singapore and Japan to serve their ageing populations as well as India, where we can heighten women and children's safety, making childcare easier. For our B2B iteration, we will begin installation of our scheduled pilots in India(Healthcare, Road Safety), Singapore(Healthcare), the Middle East(Oil&Gas), Indonesia(Marine), Chile(Mining). We would also be exploring a B2G application in military safety, security, and healthcare. 

The expansion in distribution channels is likely to generate sufficient starting revenue as well as create greater awareness and trust as our B2B pilots start to turn into full-fledged contracts. The B2B contracts will lead to a significant increase in revenue and cover the costs of having more points-of-contact for our B2C channels, as well as warehousing and logistical costs.

Our production capacity in Singapore is currently 10000 units a month and that should be sufficient in the first few months of expansion. As we ramp up production, we will first use grants to offset the costs as long as we're eligible, so that we can direct the bulk of our surplus into Research and Development(R&D). Once we have managed to hit our current R&D targets, we will start directing more of our surplus towards machine tooling(for the new variant) as well as increasing production capacity along with branding and marketing. We will be less reliant on grants at this point, and would raise another round of private funding so that we're able to have greater global reach. With each new market, we'll incur an additional cost from holding focus group discussions, but the tapering to the market that this would engender would be able to offset the costs.

Since our B2B installations would have become more widespread by now, and generate significant revenue due to the safety, security, as well as productivity and cost optimisation features. We will also then begin to provide B2C iterations of Newton's Meter at a subsidised rate to vulnerable populations, as well as focus more on senior-centric design initiatives and raising awareness, while still staying sustainable.

Lastly, once there is sufficient global reach of Newton's Meter, we'd be looking towards going public through an Initial Public Offering(IPO) to raise funding so that we'd be able to have even greater distribution and expansion, grow our team and conduct research into the specific caregiving needs of the various communities we enter, as well as further subsidise our B2C iteration while also offering subsidised B2B iterations for healthcare systems in impoverished regions. 

Taking reference to the revenue models as linked above, we'd begin as an Embedded Social Enterprise with our social programme simultaneously being our revenue generating arm, progressing towards an Integrated Social Enterprise with our Industrial B2B Revenue facilitating the growth of our social B2C and B2B expansion. Thereafter, we would go public, becoming an External Social Enterprise, where we wouldn't require significant revenue considerations for our social initiatives.

In the concept stage, we started off by building seed funds through bootstrapping, as well as small investments by people in the entrepreneurial community.

Once we managed to develop the prototype, we were able to secure grants such as the Prototype Assistance Scheme(PAS) Grant from Enterprise Singapore, then known as SPRING Singapore. This provided partial reimbursement for developmental costs and reduced the burden on our personal finances. At this stage, a few of our engineers and developers bought-in and became shareholders in the company as they saw its potential. We also started to receive larger investments from previous investors, as well as attracted new investors through networking.

Through a few more rounds of interviews with Enterprise Singapore and further development to the Proof-of-Value(POV) stage, having created a product that was market-ready, we were provided the Market Readiness Assistance(MRA) Grant as well as the Small Volume Production(SVP) Grant by Enterprise Singapore. These allowed us to subsidise patenting, certification, and manufacturing costs. We were also invited to be part of Singapore's delegation to CES 2019 & 2020 in Eureka Park in Las Vegas, NV, USA, as well as the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. We also received media coverage(Reuters, TechStorm, CNet, CNA, ST, BT, CESDaily). The positive coverage and networks built, allowed us to start some initial B2C pilots, while B2B pilots scheduled in the Middle East, India, and Singapore, were disrupted by the pandemic.

In the following years, we won numerous awards, such as being Singapore's winner for the Premio Estrecho de Magallanes, EDGE 35 Under 35, the SG:D Techblazer Award, the APICTA Merit Award, National Youth Entrepreneurship Award, and Pitch-your-product Award. These boosted our profile and allowed us to grow numbers in our B2C Pilot, providing some additional funding. We also received further investment, with outreach supported by Enterprise Singapore after a valuation had been commissioned.