The Mobile Robots in Motion conference to focus on new CPT Codes in home medical device monitoring reimbursements

Oct 13 2009

GeckoSystems Intl. Corp. (PINKSHEETS: GCKO) (http://www.geckosystems.com/) -- announced today that during their first annual "Mobile Robots in Motion" conference November 4-5, 2009 they will discuss the new Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Codes regarding in home medical device monitoring reimbursements. GeckoSystems is a dynamic leader in the emerging mobile robotics industry revolutionizing their development and usage with "Mobile Robot Solutions for Safety, Security and Service™."

"All of us here at GeckoSystems are excited about our first 'Mobile Robots in Motion' stakeholder conference to publicly demonstrate our state of the art mobile robot, the CareBot™, and review the new CPT codes as discussed in our press release of August 26, 2009. The new CPT codes recently approved, for physicians only, will further enhance the cost/benefit ratios of personal companion robots for family care. A home monitoring medical device may be stationary, as in GE/Intel, Philips et al offerings, or on a mobile personal companion robot such as our CareBot™. We at GeckoSystems believe that the ability to monitor throughout the home with only one set of robust sensors to be more cost effective than incurring the cost and deficiencies of various fixed sensors with multiple installations per room. Due to the ability of our CareBots to automatically follow the designated care receiver using GeckoNav™ and GeckoTrak™, GeckoChat™ can verbally remind the care receiver of medication events and assist in vital sign taking of the care receiver.

"This new home medical appliance provides all the benefits of fixed, stationary monitoring systems, but with significant additional benefits such as surrogate companionship and easier video monitoring and conferencing. This, and other desirable benefits such as easy expansion to incorporate more vital sign monitoring subsystems (such as blood sugar and/or blood oxygenation levels), further reduces the total cost of ownership and increases personal robot demand for new home monitoring medical appliances, such as the CareBot," observed Martin Spencer, President/CEO, GeckoSystems.

"We have invited many of our stakeholders for this invitation only event. We expect representation from firms such as Texas Instruments, Dell, Acer, Bosch, Honeywell, AMD, Oriental Motors, Sparton Medical, Lumenvox, Symphony, SIASUN, Skilligent, Computer Science Corp., Enersys, Omron, Intelligent Motion Systems, DigiKey, ABI Research, Frost & Sullivan, Strategy Analytics, Motorola, Bayer Materials, IEE Sensing, Omron-STI, Axis Group, Hewlett Packard, Market Pulse, etc.," concluded Spencer.

As predicted in the recent Forbes' article (http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/17/robots-health-care-technology-breakthroughs-telehealth.html), due to the sufficiency and cost effective robustness of GeckoSystems' first product, the CareBot™, near term in home evaluation trials have been recently announced. This conference will enable many industry observers to witness and determine for themselves the proximity to market and consumer acceptance their first product will enjoy.

The substance of this tremendous scope in home telehealth marketplace has been illustrated by significant investments by major international companies such as GE, Intel, Philips, and others. So when GE, the world's 12th-largest company by revenue ($176.6 billion in 2008 according to Fortune magazine), announced it is joining with the world's largest chip maker, Intel, to develop home-based health technologies, it signaled the continued transformation of an American icon to emerging 21st century marketplaces. The financial commitment by both companies is big -- $250 million over the next five years -- and so is the market potential.

Like an automobile, mobile robots are made from steel, aluminum, plastic, and electronics, but with ten to twenty times the amount of software running. The CareBot has an aluminum frame, plastic shroud, two independently driven wheels, multiple sensor systems, microprocessors and several onboard computers connected in a local area network (LAN). The microprocessors directly interact with the sensor systems and transmit data to the onboard computers. The onboard computers each run independent, highly specialized cooperative/subsumptive artificial intelligence (AI) software programs, GeckoSavants™, which interact to complete tasks in a timely, intelligent and common sense manner. GeckoNav, GeckoChat and GeckoTrak are primary GeckoSavants. GeckoNav is responsible for maneuvering, avoiding dynamic and/or static obstacles, seeking waypoints and patrolling. GeckoChat is responsible for interaction with the care-receiver such as answering questions, assisting with daily routines and reminders, and responding to other verbal commands. GeckoTrak, which is mostly transparent to the user, enables the CareBot to maintain proximity to the care-receiver using sensor fusion. The CareBot is an internet appliance that is accessible for remote video/audio monitoring and telepresence.