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Elderly man in Gumi rescued thanks to AI-powered smart speaker

Published: 22 May. 2025, 14:02

An AI-powered smart speaker provided by the Gumi government [NEWS1]

An elderly man living alone in Gumi was rescued after he experienced hypoglycemic shock and called for help through his AI-powered smart speaker, the city government said Thursday.

At around 8:22 p.m. on Sunday, Park, in his 70s, began experiencing dizziness and tremors from low blood sugar.

He called out to his smart speaker, saying, “Aria, help me.”

Aria is the voice command of SK Telecom’s Nugu smart speaker, which citizens are advised to call out in emergencies.

The device immediately alerted a monitoring center, which dispatched emergency responders to the scene.

Paramedics from the 119 emergency service arrived shortly after and administered first aid, helping Park recover from the episode.

Since 2022, the Gumi city government has distributed smart speakers and smart plugs to socially isolated residents as part of a smart care service initiative targeting vulnerable individuals.

The program aims to support those at risk of social isolation, especially older adults living alone.

Last year, the city expanded the program to include remote welfare check-ins. Gumi now operates a 24/7 integrated monitoring and emergency dispatch system, said to be the first in the country to combine three separate care functions.

The system detects potential emergencies by monitoring inactivity or lack of interaction with the smart devices. If such signs persist, it can trigger an immediate response by alerting emergency services — even during nights, weekends or holidays.

“Smart care services have proven effective in protecting the lives of people at risk of social isolation,” said Lee Jeong-hwa, head of Gumi’s welfare policy division.

“We plan to expand the system further to help prevent solitary deaths and support those in vulnerable living situations.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]