TechCrunch published an article yesterday morning about a new technology that allows you to install multiple camera’s and other monitoring equipment in your home to keep an eye on your aging parents.  When I first saw this technology I thought of my Grandma Van.  My family and I moved to Las Vegas in 1992 and left her by herself in Salt Lake.  We came and visited often, and even made some efforts to get her on e-mail (to no avail) so we could keep in contact, but it was very hard.  In the end (1997) she had a heart attack.  No one else was around, and it took a couple of days for a neighbor to find her.

Who knows if we would have been able to do anything had we known, and she had lived a full and wonderful life, but it would have been nice to have had the option.  With out transient society, it is not possible to be near our loved ones like we used to be.  This technology could enable that.

An interesting quote from TechCrunch though:

I can’t decide whether this represents a step forward or backwards for civilization. On the one hand, there is no doubt that something like this could definitely help improve healthcare for the elderly. Many live at home alone and an early warning system (Is Grandma eating regularly? Is she taking her pills? Has she been in bed all day?) could be a true life saver.

So what do you think?  Is this ethical?  Would you do something like this?