Kinoo, a video chat startup wins aarp’s pitch competition


AARP En español | Despite the growing number of ways families can connect virtually, it’s not always easy for grandparents and grandchildren to bond. Enter Kinoo, a Mountain View,

California-based company that has created a video chat platform that uses artificial intelligence and augmented reality to connect grandparents and grandchildren. They can play games

together, collaborate on projects and interact through their tablets and smartphones. “Before COVID, this could have been more difficult. But now grandparents are more comfortable with video

chat,” says Kinoo founder Jim Marggraff, who is also the creator of the popular LeapPad Learning System. “This video system is easy to use.” The platform includes two characters, Kodii and

Kidoo, that spring to life during video chats between family members and make communication more fun. This is called technology-supported intergenerational connection. Kinoo was the winner

of the Better Aging Through Technology pitch competition, sponsored by AARP Innovation Labs and the Innovation Collective, which helps launch innovative businesses. During the competition,

which was July 1, seven start-up companies explained how their products can help improve people’s quality of life as they age. “For a long time, we’ve added years to life but not life to

years,” says Nick Smoot, founder and chief executive of the Innovation Collective. “Recently, society has produced tools and technology that enable us to create products that make aging a

better experience.” A WIDE RANGE OF INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS The finalists created a wide range of products. Some were inspired by their own experiences with caregiving and loss of mobility. The

innovations included a high-tech walker, a device that helps rehabilitate knees, and a digital platform that connects caregivers with local resources and senior housing. During the _Shark

Tank_-like competition, judges with expertise in start-ups, venture capital and aging asked the founders questions about their products, competition, development plans and growth prospects.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE WINNER FOCUSES ON VOICE TECHNOLOGY After the presentations, the audience gave the People’s Choice award to a start-up called Voice Activated Living, which enables older

adults to communicate with family members and friends using their voice instead of a smartphone or tablet. The company uses Amazon Echo Show devices to exchange video and audio messages,

photos and other content with loved ones. Family members and friends can chat through their smartphones or tablets. CEO Jeff Wasson was inspired to create the product after his dad broke his

hip and arm and was unable to use his smartphone. Wasson’s dad couldn’t participate in the family’s group chat. ------------------------- AARP MEMBERSHIP -JOIN AARP FOR JUST $15 FOR YOUR

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benefit every area of your life.  ------------------------- “He was missing out on the conversation,” Wasson says. “We hope that enabling older adults to stay connected and engaged through

the power of voice will lead to increased happiness and joy.” THE NEXT COMPETITION In the fall, Kinoo will have the opportunity to participate in the AARP Innovation Labs’ Grand Pitch

Finale. “AARP Innovation Labs is focused on discovering the best and brightest start-ups tackling society’s most pressing issues as we age,” says Sheila Collins of AARP Innovation Labs.

Marggraff will be invited to speak at the Innovation Collective’s Think Big Festival in January 2022. The event will be in Brooksville, Florida, where the Innovation Collective helps

establish start-up companies focused on aging and longevity. The July competition was open to start-ups that have less than $500,000 in annual revenue and received less than $10 million in

investments. Here are the companies, the inspiration for their creations, and how they hope to transform the way people age. * LIST * | * SLIDESHOW * Photos * * * 1 of * PHOTO BY: Courtesy

Kinoo KINOO HEADQUARTERS: Mountain View, California PRODUCT: Kinoo is an augmented video chat platform that allows grandparents and grandchildren to play games together, collaborate on

projects, and interact through their iPads and iPhones. Android will be supported in 2022. Founded by Jim Marggraff, creator of the LeapPad Learning System, Kinoo applies many of the same

techniques to make learning interactive and fun. Grandparents and grandchildren interact on Kinoo using their fingers. Starting in September, they will also be able to use the Kinoo

Connector wand. "The Kinoo Connector can turn into a whisk to stir batter while making cookies with Grandma or become a saw to build a birdhouse with Grandpa,” Marggraff says. WHY IT

WAS CREATED: Marggraff and his wife noted that it can be challenging for grandparents to connect with their grandchildren using technology, such as video chats. HOW IT MIGHT CHANGE AGING: 

“Isolation and loneliness are detrimental to one's health and longevity,” Marggraff says. “We help families flourish through the virtual bonds they build." AVAILABILITY AND COST: 

Kinoo will be available this fall, though no price has been set yet. The product can be preordered starting in August. * * * 2 of * PHOTO BY: Courtesy Voice Activated Living VOICE ACTIVATED

LIVING HEADQUARTERS: Springfield, Missouri PRODUCT: Voice Activated Living enables older adults to communicate with family members and friends using their voice instead of a smartphone or

tablet. An Amazon Echo Show and its virtual assistant Alexa are used to exchange video messages, audio messages and photos with loved ones. Families and friends can use their smartphones or

tablets. WHY IT WAS CREATED: When CEO Jeff Wasson's dad broke his hip and arm and was staying at a skilled nursing facility, he was unable to use his smartphone and couldn't access

the family's group chat. "He was missing out on the conversation,” Wasson says. Older family members who don't use smartphones are often excluded from the family's group

conversations. “Our network is for the benefit of this one person.” HOW IT MIGHT CHANGE AGING: “We hope that enabling older adults to stay connected and engaged through the power of voice

will lead to increased happiness and joy,” Wasson says. “Our hope is that we can play a part in keeping people healthy mentally. That improves the quality of life and satisfaction as we

age." AVAILABILITY AND COST: The service, which became available in May, costs $9.99 a month and includes an unlimited number of family and friends. The primary user must have Amazon

Echo Show, which costs about $250, but other users can communicate through their smartphones or tablets. * * * 3 of * PHOTO BY: Courtesy Articulate Labs ARTICULATE LABS HEADQUARTERS: Dallas

PRODUCT: KneeStim is a device that uses neuromuscular electrical stimulation and artificial intelligence to help people recover from knee surgery or knee pain from osteoarthritis. Electrical

pulses are delivered to nerves, causing muscles to contract and increasing strength and range of motion. Similar devices are used in physical therapy sessions, but KneeStim can be worn

while you're participating in your daily activities. The device senses your motion and determines the best way to stimulate your muscles. This is not only convenient, it may help speed

recovery. WHY IT WAS CREATED: Articulate Labs cofounder Herbie Kirn came up with the idea for KneeStim after losing his right leg in a motorcycle accident soon after he turned 50. He used a

neuromuscular electrical stimulation unit while in physical therapy to strengthen his quadriceps muscles, but he thought it would be more efficient if the stimulation could be done during

his everyday activities. HOW IT MIGHT CHANGE AGING: “Mobility is not something to be taken for granted,” says Josh Rabinowitz, cofounder and chief executive of Articulate Labs. Giving people

more mobility and freedom as they age can help improve their quality of life. AVAILABILITY AND COST: KneeStim is not available yet, but Articulate Labs hopes to receive approval from the

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Its price has not been set yet. * * * 4 of * PHOTO BY: Courtesy Camino Robotics CAMINO ROBOTICS HEADQUARTERS: Los Angeles PRODUCT: Camino is a

next-generation walker that helps people navigate rough and uneven surfaces and uses artificial intelligence to monitor a person's gait and stability. It has an automatic braking

feature and folds easily to carry-on-bag size. With a touch of a button, it narrows to “skinny mode” for tight spaces. WHY IT WAS CREATED: “My inspiration for creating a better walker is my

father,” says Duncan Orrell-Jones, cofounder and chief executive officer. “He has been living with Parkinson's for 20-plus years, during which time it's been shocking to witness

how inadequate walkers and rollators are. They are not easy to fold and transport, inconvenient to use in tight or crowded spaces, nerve-racking to use downhill, and difficult to push uphill

over rough surfaces.” He asked walker users, family members and physical therapists for a wish list of features that would make the device easier to use and live with. HOW IT MIGHT CHANGE

AGING: Camino's special features give people the confidence and support they need to be active, which plays a key role in their overall health, Orrell-Jones says. A better walker can

help people remain independent and stay connected to family and friends. AVAILABILITY AND COST: The walker will be available in the first half of 2022. Its price has not been set yet. * * *

5 of * PHOTO BY: Courtesy De Oro DE ORO DEVICES HEADQUARTERS: San Luis Obispo, California PRODUCT: NexStride is a device designed to help people with Parkinson's disease walk better.

This neurological disorder can cause people to have trouble stepping forward, a problem known as freezing of gait. This small device attaches to any cane, walker or walking pole, and creates

visual or auditory cues that help people move forward. NexStride projects a green laser line onto the floor, giving users a goal to walk toward and step over. A metronome provides a steady

rhythm that helps with walking and turning. People can use one of the cues or both. WHY IT WAS CREATED: The cofounder and CEO of De Oro Devices, Sidney Collin, was a biomedical engineering

student at California Polytechnic State University when she met Jack Brill, a local veteran who had Parkinson's disease and struggled with freezing of gait. "He knew that these

visual and auditory cues worked well for him, because he had used them with his physical therapist, but he didn't have an effective way to use them at home,” Collin says. “I made the

first NexStride prototype for Jack.” He brought her to a local Parkinson's disease support group, and Collin discovered that many more people could benefit from the device. HOW IT MIGHT

CHANGE AGING: “With NexStride, we want to help as many people as possible get up and walk,” Collin says. “Not only is exercise crucial to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but it is the only

proven way to slow the progression of Parkinson's disease. With a small, noninvasive device, we can promote independence and allow people to age gracefully at home longer.” The device

may also be useful for people who have multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy. AVAILABILITY AND COST: NexStride, which costs $499, became available in April 2020. Insurance doesn't cover

the device now, but the Los Angeles-based Parkinson's Wellness Fund will cover 75 to 100 percent of the cost of NexStride for people in need of financial assistance. Veterans can

receive full coverage from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Collin says. * * * 6 of * PHOTO BY: Courtesy Like|Minded LIKE|MINDED HEADQUARTERS: Milwaukee PRODUCT: This software platform

uses artificial intelligence to help connect people within organizations. Companies, chambers of commerce, social clubs, churches and networking organizations can have members take

Like|Minded's assessment, which uses a proprietary matching algorithm based on neuroscience. The connections are made through email, and some membership directors host events that focus

on creating matches. WHY IT WAS CREATED: “I became interested in connecting people inside communities due to the alarming rate of social isolation and loneliness of people of all ages,”

says founder Jeremy Fojut, who has been helping companies engage with their customers at in-person events for the past 13 years. “The COVID pandemic showed me that we can't rely on

events and serendipity to connect people.” HOW IT MIGHT CHANGE AGING: “People are more isolated and lonelier than ever before,” Fojut says. “Numerous studies have shown the importance and

benefits of friendship on social, emotional and physical well-being. There is extensive research showing that friendship is the key to human happiness. Creating more profound, more

meaningful relationships can be a good boost for aging hearts and help the body's autoimmune system resist disease." AVAILABILITY AND COST: Like|Minded, which costs $99, became

available in June. * * * 7 of * PHOTO BY: Courtesy SeniorHabitat SENIORHABITAT HEADQUARTERS: New York City PRODUCT: This digital platform connects family caregivers with local resources to

help their older relatives stay in their homes or find housing. Geriatric social workers can provide assessments, but they can be lengthy. So geriatric social worker Melissa Louie created a

free digital tool that helps people find community-based services and housing options that are based on their individual needs and preferences. It's like Match.com for seniors, Louie

says. The CareFinder questionnaire uses an algorithm to identify resources that address the clinical, social and financial needs of older adults. The Senior Housing questionnaire helps

people find living options based on 10 categories and 148 individual preferences. WHY IT WAS CREATED: When Louie was the primary caregiver for her grandmother, she recalls, she was

“extremely exhausted and stressed because I was ill-prepared and had difficulty accessing appropriate care.” She realized that many people didn't know about the resources available in

their communities. "Services are often delivered by many different providers without coordination,” Louie says. “As a result, many older adults aren't getting their needs met, and

caregivers are struggling.” HOW IT MIGHT CHANGE AGING: “SeniorHabitat's mission is to improve the quality of life for older adults,” Louie says. The company provides people with

resources and offers care options based on their individual needs. AVAILABILITY AND COST: The service, which is free, is now available only in New York and New Jersey, but the company plans

to expand to other states. _Kimberly Lankford is a contributing writer who covers personal finance and Medicare. She previously wrote for _Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine_, and

her articles have also appeared in _U.S. News & World Report_, _The Washington Post_ and the _Boston Globe_. She received the personal finance Best in Business award from the Society of

American Business Editors and Writers._ MORE ON PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY * Company that links older adults to helpers wins AARP's CES pitch event * Could high-speed internet access be coming

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