You might not have heard of Panpan, but that’ll likely change by the end of this year. The product is a physical button that can be mounted around a home to summon help in the event of a disaster. Or just because you want a family meeting.
Like most panic button options, pressing the button gets your desired response. Unlike most, there’s also a voice command option. Some problems leave users unable to reach a physical button. Being able to literally call for help would prove a handy feature.
Panpan can
Panpan is used to create what the company behind it calls a Personal Alert Network. The network is powered by an internal SIM card and WiFi connection. Rather than just contacting emergency services, the button initiates a Telegram group call with a chosen network of others who may be able to assist. An emergency service call can be part of this, too, in case hospital assistance and transportation are needed. It’d be a plan to include a paramedic, just in case.
That’s not all the button does, either. In addition to launching the call via button press or voice command, it’ll also start recording. According to the company, “[c]onversations and ambient noises are recorded, stored and shared back to the group for legal and insurance purposes.”
The reasoning for choosing Panpan over other products — and there are a bunch of them — is the personal nature of the button. If the button-presser is an older person, having friends and family notified means there’s immediate context to any emergency. Ditto if it’s one of the kids. It also could mean a tougher mental time for those involved in the call. That might be worth it. Having seven family members call an ambulance at once may just convince the medics to get the lead out.
The button isn’t available just yet, but information we’ve seen suggests it’ll be up for pre-order soon. Pricing, at least for now, seems set at R2,600. A subscription service is also planned when Panpan releases by the end of the year, but emergency usage looks to be entirely free.
Paying for one of several tiers nets optional extras, like a cloud-based archive and dashboard, and tracking for multiple devices. There’s also a pricier tier for estates that want to install a bunch of these things. Prices go from R150/m (the Home tier) to R700/m (for commercial usage).
