find their way back . The shoe is the latest in a wave of assisted-living devices , from home sensor systems to pill boxes that remind people to take their medication , targeted at keeping Alzheimer 's patients safe . Kathi Cordsen , an iReporter from Fullerton , Calif. , whose aunt has Alzheimer 's , welcomed the development of the shoes . `` It 's really sad how this illness creeps up on a person out of the blue , '' she said . `` I think these shoes could help quite a few families to be able to keep -LSB- their loved ones home -RSB- instead of putting them in a home . '' What do you think about GPS-outfitted shoes ? Tell us in the SoundOff below Carle , an expert in aging and assistive technologies , said businesses are honing in on ways technology can improve the quality of life for older adults . The market for microchip-based technology alone is worth an estimated $ 5 billion , he said . While tracking devices may help those with dementia live independently , they have also raised ethical concerns about informed consent and personal privacy , according
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A new shoe outfitted with a GPS chip aims to offer peace of mind to Alzheimer 's patients and their caregivers . It 's common for people with Alzheimer 's or other types of dementia to wander from their homes . The embedded GPS tracking system will allow the wearer of the shoe to be located instantly online and for their whereabouts to be monitored in real time . The shoe may offer hope to the growing number of people with Alzheimer 's disease . More than 26 million people worldwide live with Alzheimer 's , and the figure is set to exceed 106 million by 2050 , according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health . `` This could not only save lives but potentially save governments billions in search and rescue operations , '' Andrew Carle , a professor at George Mason University who was an adviser for the project , told CNN . Patients of Alzheimer 's , the leading cause of dementia , can easily become confused or disoriented , and it 's common for them to wander from their home and not be able to