At the recent 2nd IET Conference on Technologies for Active and Assitive Living, a number of projects were presented. Here's 3 that you need to know about.

 
SPHERE: Sensor Platform for Halthcare in a Residential Environment


The Sensor Platform for HEalthcare in a Residential Environment (SPHERE) is a Bristol University led project based in the city of Bristol. The aim of the project is to use a variety of sensors around the home to monitor individuals and identify wide-ranging potential health concerns and issues such as falls, sedentary behaviour, sleep patterns and diet choices. The first phase of the project included rigging a Victorian house with a multitude of sensors, and the team are now rolling out the sensors to 100 volunteer homes around the city. The project is led by Bristol University with partners from across industry and academia including IBM, Toshiba, University of Southampton, and Bristol City Council; the project received a grant of £12 million from EPSRC.

 

DOREMI


Focussing on three core elements considered to be the solution for active aging: healthy eating, being active and social interaction, the DOREMI project is working to develop an unobtrusive device using sensors that can monitor daily activity and food intake as well as enabling social interaction and exergames amongst the study group to test the theory that prevention is better than cure. Pilot studies are currently underway in Italy and United Kingdom.

 

 
Neighbourhoods of the future

 

Whilst there’s currently a race to ensure we develop the technology required to retrofit homes to support independent living, a new way of thinking is to develop the next generation of houses with the equipment and considerations of active living already embedded in the building fabric. Bringing together a range of stakeholders from across all sectors from healthcare to constructions this EU funded project is leading the way on age-friendly housing.

 

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