How it works
The escalation ladder: S0 to S5
Every Guardian event moves through a defined sequence of six stages. Each stage has a specific meaning, a specific trigger, and a specific set of actions. This page walks through each stage in detail.
S0 — Monitoring
The device is active and all readings are within normal range. No action is required. Guardian is watching quietly in the background. The wearer does not receive any notifications at this stage.
S1 — Soft flag
An anomaly has been detected — an unusual movement pattern, a mild vital-sign deviation, or a brief loss of signal. Guardian does not alert anyone at S1. Instead, it watches for a pattern: a single anomaly is not enough to escalate. If the anomaly resolves on its own (the wearer moves normally, heart rate returns to range), Guardian returns to S0.
- →System continues monitoring
- →No notification to wearer or circle
S2 — Unconfirmed incident
A possible incident has occurred — the pattern Guardian was watching has crossed the detection threshold. At this stage, Guardian sends a check-in prompt directly to the wearer's watch: "Are you OK?" The wearer has 60–90 seconds to respond. If they respond, the event is logged as a false alarm and Guardian returns to S0. If they do not respond, the incident advances to S3.
- →Wearer receives check-in prompt on watch
- →No circle alert yet
- →Wearer can dismiss — event logged as false alarm
S3 — Confirmed incident
The wearer did not respond to the check-in prompt. Guardian now alerts the family circle. Each circle member receives a notification containing: the wearer's current GPS location, the medical summary (medications, conditions, blood type, GP contact), the time of the incident, and a link to the responder view. Circle members can see each other's acknowledgements in real time.
- →All circle members alerted
- →Location and medical summary shared
- →Responder view activated
S4 — Escalated
Circle members have been notified. On the Professional plan, a staffed monitoring team is now reviewing the incident in real time. The monitoring team will attempt to reach the wearer and circle members by phone. The monitoring team does not contact emergency services directly — that decision remains with the circle. On the Essential plan, S4 is reached when the circle has been notified but no one has acknowledged the alert.
- →Staffed monitoring team active (Professional plan)
- →Phone outreach to wearer and circle
- →Circle acknowledgement tracked
S5 — Unresponsive
No response has been received from the wearer or from circle members. This is the highest severity stage. Guardian cannot contact emergency services — that is a decision that must be made by a person. If you receive an S5 alert, call emergency services (999 / 911 / 112) immediately. Do not wait for further escalation.
- →Emergency services should be called immediately
- →Guardian cannot call emergency services for you
Try it now
See the real interaction — no signup needed
This sandbox runs the actual Guardian interaction flow using fictional example data. Trigger a simulated fall, watch the S2 countdown, cancel it or let it escalate, and see the circle notification and claim protocol. No account required, no real data collected, no real notification of any kind sent.
Try it: simulate a fall detection
Click the button below to trigger a simulated fall. You'll see the S2 countdown, the circle notification, and the claim protocol — exactly as a real user would experience it.
Margaret Thompson
Example wearer · Springfield, IL
Key design decisions
Why a check-in prompt at S2?
The check-in prompt is the primary false-alarm filter. Without it, every detected anomaly would alert the circle — causing alarm fatigue and eroding trust. The 60–90 second window is a deliberate tradeoff: it adds a small delay in exchange for a significant reduction in false alerts.
Why doesn't Guardian call emergency services?
Calling emergency services requires a human judgment that Guardian cannot make. A false alarm that dispatches an ambulance has real costs — to the emergency service, to the wearer, and to the trust that makes the system work. The decision to call must remain with a person.
What is the staffed monitoring team for?
The staffed monitoring team (Professional plan) provides a professional layer of review that does not depend on circle members being available. They attempt phone contact and can prompt the circle to act — but they do not replace the circle, and they do not contact emergency services directly.
What happens to false alarms?
Every event — including false alarms — is logged with a full timestamped record. This record is available for export and can be reviewed by a clinician. A pattern of false alarms may indicate that detection thresholds need adjustment, or that the wearer's activity patterns are unusual.