I am pleased to introduce the exhibitors for the 2012 Broadband Conference (Building our Connected Future: Minnesota’s Better with Broadband!). Today our featured exhibitor is Cybermation:
Cybermation
Tom Ardolf co-founded Cybermation with his wife, Susie, in 1996.
His experience began with 4 years in the Intelligence and Security Command of the U.S. Army, from 1979-1983, working with various high tech projects as an electronics technician. Upon discharge, Tom joined Sanders Associates, a leading defense contractor based in Nashua, New Hampshire spending 3 years working on classified projects in an R&D environment, primarily specialized airborne platforms that were deployed for special projects throughout the world.
Returning to Minnesota, Tom completed a Bachelors in Engineering Technology from 1985-1988 at St. Cloud State University while simultaneously founding RT Enterprises in July of 1986. Tom continued working on an MBA at SCSU, completing his Masters studies in 1993. Due to lack of any available custom installers, Tom and Susie founded Cybermation in 1996 when building their home. The next 5 years were spent gaining education and experience in custom electronics and home systems. In 2001, Tom and Susie also developed commercial property into the Ardolf Technology Center and they continue to manage it today.
The genesis of Cybermation from these early days created evolutions of change in Cybermation over the next decade. New “high water marks” continue to be achieved, with examples being one of three firms considered as the System Integrator of the Year in 2008, multiple projects being featured in trade magazines and the recipient of three Mark of Excellence awards by CEA in 2010. In Q3/2010, Cybermation rolled out the CyberHealth Division, focusing on the tele-wellness market. The firm quickly achieved national recognition in multiple publications for their unique marketing & implementation strategies. In May/2012, Cybermation spun off the low voltage practice to focus entirely on the CyberHealth Division. In August of 2012, Cybermation was granted a distributorship for GrandCare as a result of its success in sales and support of systems throughout Minnesota.
Cybermation is now strictly a tele-health and tele-wellness company that provides assistive technology to help the elderly remain independent and in their own homes for as long as possible. Personal Emergency Response Systems, lockable GPS locator watches, and medication dispensing systems are just a few of the items available. Among many of the helpful products that Cybermation supplies is the GrandCare System. GrandCare takes all the areas where a senior might need assistance and combines them into one easy to use, easy to manage touch screen system that requires no technical ability to use. Everything from medication reminders, locked control of medication disbursement, blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring and motion sensing are addressed. But the best part of GrandCare is that it takes these necessary services and adds something invaluable to them: socialization. With GrandCare’s simple emailing, video chatting, and picture streaming, as well as interactive calendar and appointment scheduling, it makes friends and family that are far away suddenly available to a loved one literally at the touch of a button. Add the fact that care givers can monitor all the information available through the system remotely, and you have a piece of equipment that is invaluable to someone who would like nothing more than to stay in their home, but needs a little care to be able to do so.
Learn more:
- Instant Care – information on emergency response product
- Med Ready – information on automated medical dispenser
- Freedom GPS – information on Wandering protection and emergency alert
- ‘It’s a gift from God’: Cybermation tele-health venture makes it easier to monitor activity and medications – article from St Cloud Times
- Tele-wellness tools are making life better in Benton County – article from Blandin on Broadband