A/HRC/45/14/Add.1 predictability of health conditions and care needs. Such smart ageing technologies can enable older persons to live more autonomously and support ageing in place, thus making it possible to overcome classic institutionalization and cater for the needs of a projected 487 million older persons in China by 2050. 57. China has developed a vast range of smart devices and applications for older persons, such as the smart wristwatch, with a view to collecting and sending back health information on individuals, since real-time monitoring of the health situations of high-risk older persons can enable timely rescue as well as treatment that is informed, individualized and, hence, adequate and efficient. In Hangzhou and Guangzhou, an emergency call system has been installed in the homes of older persons, so that help can be provided quickly if needed.79 Smart adult diapers with embedded moisture sensors can alert a caregiver when a diaper is wet. They may help record and identify certain health problems, such as signs of constipation or incontinence and also permit urinary and stool analysis for more comprehensive health screening. There are also digital mattresses and smart pillows that keep track of the heartbeat, breathing patterns and pulse of an older person during sleep, with an alarm system that sends data to a nurse in the case of an emergency. Smart sleep systems combine sensors and sleep aide devices connected to big data platforms to create an ideal environment for sleep by actively adjusting the lighting, air conditioners and humidifiers. The connection of multiple devices allows for the collection and analysis of data, including heart rate, breathing and movement, providing for a comprehensive sleep examination and monitoring. 58. There are initiatives to build several smart nursing homes across the country, promoting remote intelligent security monitoring technology, and achieving 24-hour automatic duty to reduce the risk of accidents among older persons.80 So-called virtual older person care homes, or older person care homes without walls, provide a wide range of personal care and homemaker services in older persons’ homes. Services are initiated by phone calls to a local government-sponsored information and service centre, which then directs a qualified service provider to the older person’s home.81 59. A number of companies have also specialized in service robots for older persons, thereby supplying a number of combined functions, including the provision of social robots, as well as services related to health management, communications and emergency help. There are several such projects in some of the larger cities. In this regard, the Independent Expert notes the opportunities that technological progress offers while stressing at the same time that human contact is a fundamental aspect of human care. 60. The country has also made provisions to develop a comprehensive national agedcare information system. A core element of the system is a database of aged-care recipients and those in need of care. The ambitious objective of the information system is to provide all levels of government with tools and data in order to allow for the planning and regulation of the care industry as well as to make information accessible to the wider public.82 61. The concept of the “glass human being” 83 is here realized with respect to older persons as a result of the comprehensive collection of data about their physiology, routines and behaviours. Such collection also allows for the detection of early signs of health problems and enables early intervention, which is critical in some cases, including those involving skin cancer or Alzheimer’s disease. It is important that older persons have given prior consent to data being collected for the purpose of making such a diagnosis. The data that are generated also make it possible to categorize older persons into different groups, including those who are autonomous, semi-autonomous and dependent, and to make individualized predictions of their needs. As a result, smart technology can help older persons navigate through their routines, can prescribe medication, and can recommend 79 80 81 82 83 Glinskaya and Feng, eds., Options for Aged Care in China, p. 296. Government submission on the protection of rights and interests of older persons in China, p. 22. Glinskaya and Feng, eds., Options for Aged Care in China, p. 28. Ibid., p. 52. A/HRC/36/48, para. 50. 13