As a visually impaired person, I have experienced my fair share of severe falls, but until now, I never seriously considered a medical alert device. The team at UnaliWear sent over their Kanega Watch for me to test, and my goal was to determine whether this all-in-one medical alert device could be useful to the blind and low vision community. Let’s talk about the Kanega Watch’s features, and along the way I’ll answer the most common question you have – how it compares to the Apple Watch.

Overview of the Kanega Watch

The Kanega Watch is designed primarily as a medical alert device, offering features such as fall detection, 24/7 emergency response access, and a simple interface. Unlike smartwatches like the Apple Watch, the Kanega is built with a single purpose in mind: safety. It operates on a cellular connection, ensuring constant accessibility without needing a paired smartphone. The watch itself is lightweight, stylish, and available in three different accent colors: black, champagne gold, and rose gold. In the event that you take a tumble, the watch will automatically call the UnaliWear trained support staff, who can help determine if you need additional assistance, including placing a call to your emergency contact or emergency services. I appreciate this layer of service, I’d rather talk to someone on support staff over having 911 called and the first responders banging on my door.

Fall Detection: A Feature Beyond Seniors

While the Kanega Watch is marketed primarily toward older adults, it has immense value for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. One of its standout features is its advanced fall detection system, which continuously learns the user’s movement patterns. Over time, it becomes better at distinguishing between an actual fall and everyday activities such as shoveling snow or walking down the street. The fall detection algorithm is regularly updated and fine-tuned, ensuring greater accuracy.

In the event of a fall, the watch connects the wearer to UnaliWear’s trained support staff, who can assess the situation and determine if emergency services are needed. This is a game-changer for visually impaired individuals who may find themselves in a situation where they need help but cannot easily reach a phone. Additionally, if someone gets lost on a walking route, the Kanega Watch can provide valuable location information to an emergency contact.

One great feature of the Kanega Watch is the Wi-Fi connectivity. So many homes, mine included are a cellular dead spot. The Kanega Watch can connect over Wi-Fi, meaning it doesn’t always rely on cellular service, giving it a leg up on the fall detection device competition.

Battery Life and Charging

One of the biggest advantages of the Kanega Watch is its battery system. Unlike the Apple Watch, which requires nightly charging, the Kanega Watch uses removable, rechargeable batteries. The package includes four batteries and a charger, allowing users to swap out batteries without ever having to remove the watch. In my testing, the batteries lasted up to two full days, making the Kanega Watch one of the longest-lasting wearables in its category.

Removing the batteries can be a bit tricky, as you need to push down and toward the watch face to remove them. It took me quite a few times removing the batteries to get the hang of it, I think UnaliWear have found a nice balance, as the design of the batteries hold well in place even when the user is being active.  Once removed, the batteries slide easily back into place with ease after charging.

Kanega Watch vs. Apple Watch

For those who want a fully functional smartwatch with apps and notifications, the Apple Watch may be a better choice. However, if you are looking for a dedicated medical alert device with fall detection, the Kanega Watch is the superior option.

Strengths of the Kanega Watch

• Onboarding Support: UnaliWear staff conducts an onboarding call and can remotely adjust settings to personalize the experience.
• Reliable Fall Detection: AI learns user activity levels to reduce false positives.
• Removable Batteries: Never have to take the watch off; just swap the batteries.
• Comfortable Design: The magnetic band makes it easy to take on and off.

Areas for Improvement

• No International Support: The Kanega Watch only works within the United States.
• Battery Charging Indicator: There is no accessible way for visually impaired users to determine when batteries are fully charged.
• Limited Voice Commands: The watch doesn’t always respond when asked for the time and lacks a command for the date.
• No VoiceOver Functionality: The menu system is not accessible via screen reader and requires assistance from support staff for changes.
• Water Resistance: The watch is fine for showers but not suitable for submersion in baths or hot tubs.

Suggested Improvements

• Audible Battery Level Indicator
• Customizable Wake Word: Instead of saying “Fred Astaire” to activate voice commands, users should be able to choose their own wake word.

Pricing and Availability

The Kanega Watch is available with two subscription options as of this writing:

• Annual Plan: $299 for the watch, plus $779.40 per year for monitoring.
• Monthly Plan: $299 for the watch, plus $79.95 per month for monitoring.

Both plans include the watch, charger, extra batteries, and setup assistance from UnaliWear.

UnaliWear has kindly provided a discount code for Blind Travels readers, you can use the code Blindtravels100 when ordering online for $100 off the purchase price. Additionally, readers can call UnaliWear’s sales line and get the same discount with the Blindtravels100 code. You can find a link to their website below. 

Final Thoughts

The Kanega Watch is an excellent choice for those in the blind and low vision community who are looking for a simple yet effective medical alert device. Its strong fall detection, 24/7 emergency support, and battery-swapping system make it a standout option. While it lacks the feature-rich ecosystem of a smartwatch like the Apple Watch, it excels in its core purpose: providing safety and peace of mind for the wearer and their emergency contact.

For highly tech-savvy users, the Apple Watch may still be a compelling option. However, for those looking for an easy-to-use medical alert device that prioritizes accessibility and safety, the Kanega Watch is a worthy investment.

If you would like more information about the Kanega Watch check out UnaliWear’s website here: https://www.unaliwear.com/product/kanega-watch/ 

Thank you to UnaliWear for providing the Kanega Watch for review.