[Courtesy of Seocho District Office]
SEOUL -- A southern Seoul district office will provide smart insoles equipped with GPS trackers to help people with developmental disorders so that the disabled can engage in outdoor activities without the fear of getting lost.
Developmental disability is a group of psychiatric conditions including disorders in language, behavior and learning that originates in childhood. Such disability including autism spectrum disorders involves serious impairment in different areas and it is hard for people with developmental disorders to live without care.
People with developmental disorders lack the ability to navigate. About 7,000 disabled go missing in South Korea every year, according to government data. 65 disabled who went missing in 2018 has not yet been found.
Seocho District Office said in a statement on October 13 that the local governing body will provide 13 citizens with developmental disorders with smart insoles equipped with GPS trackers to help them live independently and prevent missing accidents.
The smart insoles will track its wearer so that his or her guardians can monitor the movement. The insole can send text messages to guardians if its wearer moves out of a designated area.
"There are similar devices such as watch-type trackers but they were no good as people with developmental disabilities often refused to wear them," Seocho district officials said, adding the smart insole is designed to have the disabled freely enjoy outdoor activities without the help of guardians.
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