Serenity takes a full-home radar approach to fall detection

Serenity, the result of a fruitful partnership with Alarm.com, is an innovative fall-detection system that does away with traditional wearables. It is showing off its product for the first time at CES in Las Vegas.

“You just plug it in, and it blends into your life. There’s no need for apps or complicated configurations,” explains Sumit Nagpal, CEO and founder at Cherish Health. “Utilizing advanced radar technology and AI, Serenity can track up to two individuals, such as ‘mom and dad,’ within a 40-foot range through walls, offering detailed information about their activities without compromising privacy.”

Founded on January 2, 2020, Cherish navigated the tumultuous waters of the COVID-19 pandemic to emerge with a product that may just prove to save lives.

What sets Serenity apart is its ability to construct a 13-point skeleton model of individuals in near-real-time, using radar data processed by AI on the device. This model helps distinguish between intentional lying down and falls, including slow falls that traditional accelerometers fail to detect. “It’s about understanding the context and sequence of movements,” Nagpal says, emphasizing the system’s precision.

The cool thing is that it means there are no cameras or intrusive devices: People can go about their lives as usual, without feeling monitored or tracked, and without needing to remember to wear a wearable to keep themselves safe.

The company showed off its functionality in a video:

In an emergency, Serenity raises an alarm to a designated care circle or a 24/7 monitoring service. But its capabilities don’t stop at fall detection. Nagpal claims that Serenity can also monitor resting heart rate (!) and respiration (!!) from a distance, without any wearable device — a feature that has far-reaching implications for home healthcare.

The company has also envisioned broader applications for its patented technology, including public safety measures like concealed weapon detection in public spaces and health monitoring in vehicles, potentially saving lives in emergencies like strokes.

As for the manufacturing and distribution, Cherish has localized its operations.

“We’ve got manufacturing in New Hampshire and PCB manufacturing in Santa Clara,” Nagpal says, noting the efficiency of local production compared to overseas. The company says it is negotiating an order of half a million units, indicating a significant market interest.

At $300 plus $39 per month subscription, it’s a relatively pricy solution — but Nagpal says it is priced “competitively in the same range as a smart speaker with a help button.”

The device is designed to blend into the home and doubles as a two-way speaker and music player.

We started in the chaos of a global pandemic, but we’ve turned these challenges into opportunities for innovation,” Nagpal reflects on Cherish’s journey and its potential impact. “Serenity isn’t just a product; it’s a promise of independence, safety and peace of mind for our aging population.”