Providing Market Intelligence for 40 Years

In The News

Emergency Safety Tech Moves Beyond The Elderly

In a surprising statistic from new Parks Associates research on connected health, 40% of 18- to 24-year-olds report using a device or app that automatically calls for help in case of an emergency -- compared to just 13% of those aged 65 and older.

Opening a recent Parks webinar, director of research Kristen Hanich said the key drivers for the technology in this Gen Z  demographic, are, in order: general peace of mind; safety when exercising outdoors, such as running, hiking or cycling; monitoring an elderly loved one;monitoring a child's location and safety; monitoring a wearer with a chronic health condition; and such dangerous situations as walking alone or being a lone worker or on a night shift.

Back in 2018, Parks Vice President of Research Jennifer Kent told Marketing Daily that the “I’ve fallen” mantra had actually created a hard-to-shake stigma, resulting in strong resistance among older people.

Now, so to speak, a “child” -- or many of them -- shall lead them.

“Adoption by younger folks will remove some of the stigma that seniors face,” said Hanich. “Will anyone be embarrassed at using a fall detection solution that their very active grandchild personally uses and recommends?”

From the article, "Emergency Safety Tech Moves Beyond The Elderly" by Les Luchter

Previously In The News

Parks Associates: Security and Smart Home Research for 2017

CE Pro sister publication Security Sales & Integration recently revealed security and smart-home statistics from its annual Residential Market Report. Researched with Parks Associates, and now in its...

What Happens When Amazon Acquires a ‘Real’ Security Company Like Vivint, Guardian or Brink’s?

Professional security dealers report 36% of their alarm systems include networked cameras, according to smart-home research firm Parks Associates. The pros even manage to attach smart thermostats t...

10 Indications 2018 Will be a Big Year for Smart Home Installations

In the period of just one year, big-box retailers including Best Buy, Lowe’s, Apple, Target and Sears, dramatically increased shelf space and visibility for smart-home devices. Even Whole Foods, acqui...

Top 5 Home Tech Trends and Opportunities for 2017: From Voice Control to VR

Parks Associates research indicates 40 percent of U.S. smartphone owners use voice-recognition software, generally eclipsing the use of phones for streaming music to speakers or video to a second scre...