“When someone in need is screaming under a table, our sound recognition technology can detect distress without needing a direct line of sight.”

Dr Tan Yeow Kee still remembers the moment that changed everything. It was a tragic case, an elderly woman had fallen in a washroom and was unable to call for help. Enduring three days without aid, she survived by drinking from the toilet bowl. Such harrowing experiences moved him deeply, and he was determined to find a solution.

The thought that someone in distress could go unnoticed for so long was unsettling. It was this incident that set Dr Tan on a mission to develop a privacy-preserving monitoring solution that could prevent similar tragedies from happening again.

What began as a research project under A*STAR has since grown into SoundEye, a deep tech AI social enterprise start-up that develops smart monitoring solutions to prevent and detect falls without compromising privacy.

Initially, SoundEye focused on eldercare, working with hospitals and aged care facilities to reduce falls and unattended medical emergencies. But as the company grew, so did its applications, today, SoundEye’s solutions are deployed in nursing homes, airports, commercial buildings and residential homes. Current customers include Vanguard Health Nursing Home, Ling Kwang Nursing Homes, and Lions Befrienders.

Traditional monitoring systems often rely on CCTV, raising concerns about privacy and trust. At the core of SoundEye’s mission is LASSO, a flagship monitoring device that leverages depth imaging and advanced sound recognition to prevent and detect falls without relying on intrusive cameras.

Unlike conventional monitoring systems, LASSO does not rely on video footage. Instead, it uses LiDAR depth imaging and sound recognition technology to detect emergencies and provides AI-driven insights for real-time alerts.

This approach protects privacy and ensures a higher level of responsiveness, especially in settings where caregivers cannot always be present.

SoundEye’s entrepreneurial journey was strengthened by its involvement with NUS Enterprise. The company first connected with the NUS ecosystem through the Modern Aging Programme, a business competition and accelerator run by NUS Enterprise and Access Health. The competition provided SoundEye with access to mentorship, funding, and business networks.

“NUS Enterprise’s seed funding was pivotal, it allowed me to move from A*STAR to focus on SoundEye full-time,” says Dr Tan.

The support didn’t stop at funding. Through B71 and NUS Enterprise’s accelerator programmes, SoundEye gained valuable insights on scaling a deep tech business, forming industry partnerships, and navigating regulatory challenges. Today, the company continues to develop its next-generation consumer products at the B71 Social Impact Hub.