# 17: Facebook Status: Maybe Not Dead

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2013-09-04
- Length: 53m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-04-17-facebook-status-maybe-not-dead
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/mes-ep17-mp3

## Summary

Elizabeth Brenner, who works at Fitbit, and host Elecia White discuss designing a non-invasive monitoring device for elderly people living alone, using a story about 87-year-old Dolores as a case study. They evaluate existing solutions like Life Alert and Lifeline, noting their high cost and lack of appeal, and propose a new gadget using an Electric Imp, Wi-Fi, and a cute form factor (like a stuffed animal) to encourage daily interaction. The conversation covers technical decisions regarding connectivity (Wi-Fi vs. Bluetooth Low Energy), battery life, and the critical need for robust fail-safes to handle device failure or server outages. They also discuss business model considerations, suggesting a low-cost, non-profit-oriented approach targeting the children of the elderly rather than the seniors themselves.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-04-17-facebook-status-maybe-not-dead#t=6) Introduction: The Problem with Senior Monitoring
- [3:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-04-17-facebook-status-maybe-not-dead#t=183) Critique of Life Alert and Lifeline Systems
- [8:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-04-17-facebook-status-maybe-not-dead#t=528) Design Challenges: Form Factor and Social Engineering
- [13:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-04-17-facebook-status-maybe-not-dead#t=784) Proposed Solution: Electric Imp and Connectivity Options
- [22:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-04-17-facebook-status-maybe-not-dead#t=1341) Technical Trade-offs: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Battery Life
- [35:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-04-17-facebook-status-maybe-not-dead#t=2144) Fail-safes, Twilio, and Service Reliability
- [47:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-04-17-facebook-status-maybe-not-dead#t=2823) Pricing, Business Model, and Non-profit Vision

## Topics

- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Batteries & low-power design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/batteries-and-low-power)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch

## Mentioned

- Life Alert (product)
- Lifeline (product)
- Fitbit (product)
- Electric Imp (chip)
- Twilio (other)
- IFTTT (other)
- Nest (product)

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- [How to Design and Build Connected Devices | Wai Loong-Lim, Founder and CEO of Y Studios | #AskIoT E023](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2019-04-17-how-to-design-and-build-connected-devices-wai-loong-lim-founder-and-ceo-of-y-stu) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [Connected Health in an Embedded World | Silicon Labs' Fritz Werder | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2024-04-30-connected-health-in-an-embedded-world-silicon-labs-fritz-werder-internet-of-thin) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [Ep062: Tripping Batteries, Ventilator Design, Stinky Prints, and Simon Says Servos](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-04-10-ep062-tripping-batteries-ventilator-design-stinky-prints-and-simon-says-servos) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Wearables Might Have Limited Fashion Options - Lachrymogenic Lane Language](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-05-14-wearables-might-have-limited-fashion-options-lachrymogenic-lane-language) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

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