Email Gabriel Esteban Aguiar Noury: gabriel.aguiar@plymouth.ac.uk
An old age problem
Ageing populations are a key concern within European countries. The proportion of senior citizens, compared to younger age groups, is only expected to increase further in the coming years. This will influence the number of people living with dependencies such as long-term health conditions or mobility needs. Intensifying the current concerns to care for citizens, this will demand more funding and facilities than governments can currently provide.
Enabling future generations an affordable but efficient healthcare sector requires a new wave of innovation in social care.
The impact of robots
Robots as assistive technologies form an emerging market with increasing impact. From supporting patients' cognitive abilities to providing remote monitoring of their health status and support in activities of daily living (ADL), assistive robots have the potential to change the way we perceive and treat a range of impairments and conditions, and how we actively support those in need.
To bring innovations into social care, research needs to be thoroughly grounded in an understanding of user needs.
Supporting independent living
This 2.5 million Euro-funded project, supported by the European Regional Development Fund’s Interreg 2 Mers programme aims to keep the ageing population independent for longer in their own or chosen home, increasing the quality of life, their environment, services, safety and public spaces.
Led by the Boulogne sur mer Développement Côte d'Opale (BDCO) in France, the project will include house adaptations and the development of a real local ecosystem centred around the ageing populations.
Utilising scientific support services and robotics
Led by Dr Marco Palomino, Lecturer in Information Systems and Big Data, and Researcher in Human Robot Interaction, Gabriel Aguiar Noury, as part of the University's Centre for Health Technology, the project will utilise their state-of-the-art scientific support services, the Centre for Robotics and Neural Systems (CRNS), access to selected robotic technology and dedicated researchers to evaluate innovative healthcare products and services.
This will support established businesses, business start-ups in their development, as well as work with communities to provide comprehensive reviews of technologies to improve the lives of our elderly generation.
Our evaluation support services will provide access to state-of-the-art technology for companies to test their products with lead users.
Benefit from UX and UI evaluation, technological support, development of pilots and demonstration of prototypes.
Our evaluation of assistive devices and robots will let us give you experience-based recommendations on products available in the market to support independent living.
Based on continuous market research and our work with pioneer companies in the field, AGE’IN will provide a comprehensive up-to-date review of technology to improve the lives of our elderly generation.
AGE’IN partners are experienced in facing common challenges within ageing, lack of actions towards the loss of autonomy and inappropriate housing conditions.
Pooling together resources and sharing knowledge and good practices are crucial to reducing the existing gap between France and the UK on one hand and Belgium and the Netherlands on the other hand, with respect to the share of housing appropriated for elderly.
Bringing together digital health and health technology expertise from across the University to drive the development, evaluation and implementation of innovative technologies, products, services and approaches to transform health and social care.Find out more about the Centre for Health Technology
The centre builds on world-leading excellence in computer science, robotics and neural systems research. Staff at the centre coordinate large projects and collaborate with major international centres in cognitive robotics and computational neuroscience.Centre for Robotics and Neural Systems (CRNS)
