Konnekt Videophone

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The Konnekt Videophone, an Australian product launched in 2016, is a one-touch video telephony appliance that can make and receive face-to-face calls and can also make regular voice calls to telephones.[1] It uses Skype technology to connect people through the Internet.[2] [1] It is designed for easy use by the elderly, disabled, those with arthritis or Parkinson's, a hearing impairment or dementia, and for general use in aged care facilities.[3] [1]

Design

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The Videophone was designed by a Melbourne-based company called Konnekt.[4] [5] [6]. Founded in 2013, Konnekt develops and sells the Konnekt Videophone.[7] Company founders [8] Karl Grimm and John Nakulski found it challenging to teach their own elderly parents how to use new technology because the seniors had trouble remembering login details, because their hand-eye coordination made it hard to press small buttons, and because their devices were never charged and often incurred popups. These problems inspired the design of the Konnekt Videophone.[9]

Features

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  1. One touch to answer and make calls [1] [10] [11] [12]
  2. Large personalized buttons with clear text [11] [13]
  3. Large 15-inch advanced resistive touchscreen - compatible with glove/prosthetic/bandage [11] [14] [13]
  4. Loud, clear sound [3] [11] [15]
  5. Connects face-to-face with mobiles, iPads, tablets, computers and other Konnekt Videophones using Skype [10] [11] [16]
  6. Makes voice calls to regular telephone services [10] [11]
  7. Multiple back-up numbers [11] [4] [16]
  8. Automatic answer of incoming calls from authorised callers, enabling two-way viewing and speaking with a remote care-giver in an emergency [1] [10] [11] [17] [18] [19]
  9. Capacity to share text or images to Videophone from a computer during a call [11] [3] [16]
  10. The product includes Internet access [10] [20] [21] [4] and video support via a call button [21] [22] [3], and can be personalised [6] [18] [20] [21] [10] [23] to individual needs.

Claimed health benefits

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The Videophone enables the elderly to have more face-to-face contact due to its capacity for calling family and friends at the touch of a button via Skype.[24]

  • Studies show that regular face-to-face contact between older adults and their family and friends can help reduce social isolation[25] and feelings of loneliness.[26] [27]
  • Social isolation and/or loneliness have been linked to, or associated with, high blood pressure [28] [29] [30], poor sleep [31] [30], depression [32] [33] and higher morbidity and mortality rates.[34] [30] [35] [36]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e https://www.pulseitmagazine.com.au/aged-care/3084-konnekt-ready-to-go-live-with-one-press-connection-through-videophone
  2. ^ https://www.konnekt.com.au
  3. ^ a b c d http://seniormoves.com.au/konnekt-videophone.php
  4. ^ a b c http://humanservicesdirectory.vic.gov.au/SiteDetails.aspx?SiteID=157897
  5. ^ http://ilcaustralia.org.au/suppliers/15386
  6. ^ a b http://www.truelocal.com.au/business/konnekt/chelsea
  7. ^ https://www.konnekt.com.au/the-company
  8. ^ https://www.konnekt.com.au/the-team-at-konnekt/
  9. ^ https://www.konnekt.com.au/the-konnekt-vision/
  10. ^ a b c d e f https://www.ilcnsw.asn.au/items/12127#product_details
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i http://ilcaustralia.org.au/products/20471
  12. ^ https://www.konnekt.com.au/one-press-connect/
  13. ^ a b https://www.konnekt.com.au/easy-to-see-buttons
  14. ^ https://www.konnekt.com.au/large-touch-screen/
  15. ^ https://www.konnekt.com.au/easy-to-hear/
  16. ^ a b c https://www.konnekt.com.au/touch-screen-video-phone/
  17. ^ https://www.konnekt.com.au/auto-answer-video-phone/
  18. ^ a b https://www.konnekt.com.au/preferences/
  19. ^ http://rentalinq.com.au/the-konnekt-videophone/the-features/
  20. ^ a b https://www.konnekt.au/installation
  21. ^ a b c https://www.konnekt.com.au/zero-configuration-videophone/
  22. ^ https://www.konnekt.com.au/skype-phone/
  23. ^ http://rentalinq.com.au/the-konnekt-videophone/
  24. ^ https://startsat60.com/stories/tech/tech-review-konnekt-videophone
  25. ^ https://www.ohsu.edu/xd/about/news_events/news/2015/10-05-research-face-to-face-s.cfm
  26. ^ http://www.acsa.asn.au/Publications-Submissions/Social-Isolation-and-Loneliness.aspx
  27. ^ http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=11208
  28. ^ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2841310/
  29. ^ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16594800
  30. ^ a b c https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20652462
  31. ^ http://www.journalsleep.org/viewabstract.aspx?pid=28332
  32. ^ http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/196/2/96
  33. ^ http://gerontechnology.info/index.php/journal/article/view/gt.2011.10.01.004.00
  34. ^ http://www.pnas.org/content/110/15/5797.full
  35. ^ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25499429
  36. ^ https://news.uchicago.edu/article/2014/02/16/aaas-2014-loneliness-major-health-risk-older-adults