What is the business?
TigTag is a Lincoln based business focusing on wearable assistive technology. Their first device, the TigTag 101, is a wearable electronic device designed to help vulnerable people and their carers by providing them with an electronic warning system to issue an alert in the event of a fall. They are a not for profit business, hoping to invest in other social care projects and create waves in the wearable technology market.
History
TigTag, in many ways, fills a necessary gap in the market. Current alert systems require the user to press a button in order for an alert to be raised. There are many situations though where an individual is unable to press their button, if they were unconscious for example. The TigTag 101 removes that issue. It includes fall detection which, using a 3G connection, is able to contact a carer via SMS in the event of a fall. The idea behind TigTag arose from an experience that business founder Michael Jacob had with his mother, who was living alone. Whenever she would have a fall, she would have difficulty in contacting Michael and his wife even though they lived next door.
How did LORIC help?
Michael met with a specialist adviser at LORIC who was able to help them understand the company’s data needs, and how they would need to use it for production of the TigTag 101. The adviser at LORIC was able to help TigTag with mapping the data flow, in order to demonstrate how the device would collect, store, protect, and potentially share data.
Given that TigTag would be working with the data of vulnerable people, LORIC was able to provide advice on ethics, legality and security to help ensure standards when TigTag moved forward with development.
Plans for the future
With delivery of the first version of the TigTag 101 due in the near future, TigTag is looking towards how they will develop in the future with hopes of finding an investor or collaborator to help take the business to the next level. They aim to create a small batch of the TigTag 101s to showcase the company and attract the investment they seek.
Speaking of the LORIC support, Michael said:
“Without the help of the LORIC team, we would have stalled. I was at the limit of my knowledge, skills and experience, and that’s what they provided – the next step.”