My name is Robert. I am currently an inventor, scientist, engineer, entrepreneur, and father. Before I was all that, I was a son. My father’s son. Being my father’s son, has always had its perks. My favorite perk; we are forever 2 goofy, playful, brutally honest, hilariously funny, best friends. This year, I am 55, my father is 82 – nothing has changed between us.

Except, everything has changed, outside of us. My father, is still my father. He still worries about me, talks to me, listens to me, teaches me, helps me, laughs with me, goofs off with me, supports all of my ideas, hopes and dreams. Outside of us, the world has moved on – he is older, walks a little slower, his hair is white, his eyes softened with laugh lines, his hands wrinkled from experiences. He worries less. And now, I am the worrier. I worry about him: as I watch my own son grow, I am increasingly aware of the closing window of time between us. I started worrying about his sleep, his eating habits, whether or not he remembered to turn off the stove, if he’ll be able to join me on my next adventure, and WHY doesn’t he answer my calls???? (He’s too busy!) The roles are starting to turn. I am the one “fathering” and he is doing what all kids do best: being immersed in the job of living life- TO. THE. FULLEST.

I invented the Wellnuo plug, as a way to help me monitor my father’s wellness. It all started because he won’t answer my calls. Not all my calls. The ones he didn’t answer would start me worrying. What if he fell and can’t get up? What if he left the stove on and the house is burned to ashes? Did he get enough exercise? When I brought up my concerns, he looked at me, laughing gently: That seems like a YOU problem, Robert! I’m sure you’ll figure it out.

The first Wellnuo plug was born. Our first plug was simply a motion sensor, which was supposed to tell me if he was still moving around, but it also sensed the movement of the shadows of the trees outside his window, his dog, etc.  There have been many iterations and advancements since that first Wellnuo plug. Coupled with technological integrations, such as a smart AI. Dad was always there helping me. It was dad, who soldered all of the electrical components for the first several Wellnuo prototypes, himself. Then dad, does what dad always does: started bragging to his friends and family about what we were doing together. Pretty soon, a neighbor wanted a plug for their parents, a friend wanted a plug for her mom, dad’s friends’ adult children started calling for plugs for their elderly parents. Soon, dad was soldering 100 plugs. I started looking for partners and Wellnuo, was born.