Ambient Assisted Living Networking Day

The ageing society is significantly growing. It is estimated that, by 2020, 25% of the European population will be over the age of 65. Furthermore, people above the age of 85 are also increasing at very considerable rates.

Key EU policy initiatives are now focussing on how to support Governments and society in dealing with the challenges an ageing society presents, and also how to aid an active older generation that wish to lead independent lives. Ambient assisted living technology, also known as telecare or telehealth technology, presents opportunities to support older and vulnerable people to live independently and autonomously in their own homes should they wish to do so.

De Montfort University (DMU) led an Ambient Assisted Living networking day aimed at industry to demonstrate the funding opportunities that are available to support product development and innovation in the telecare. The event, sponsored by The Institution of Engineering and Technology (The IET), addressed the challenges society and the Government face when supporting older or vulnerable people.

The day, opened by Glenis Willmott MEP, featured presentations from a number of funding bodies such as FP7 Service, Technology Strategy Board and Wellcome Trust describing the backing that is available to businesses, and presentations from Leicester City Council and the Department of Health on the future of telecare. As well as Government organisations, companies such as Laird Technologies, ML Electronics Ltd, PERA, Spectre (Communications) Ltd and Telemedcare exhibited the work they are doing with assisted living technologies.

The exhibitors list, agenda and presentations from the day can be found below:

EXHIBITORS:

• De Montfort University
• FP7 Service
• Leicester City Council
• ML Electronics Ltd
• PERA
• Spectre (Communications) Ltd and Laird Technologies
• Technology Strategy Board
• Telemedcare
• The Institution of Engineering and Technology

AGENDA AND PRESENTATIONS:

Chair: Dr Eric Goodyer (Principal Lecturer, Faculty of Technology, De Montfort University)

• 10:00     Welcome to De Montfort University  
  
  Professor Philip Moore (Head of Research and Commercial Development, Faculty of Technology, De Montfort University)
  
  
• 10:05     Technology for Ageing – A European Dimension
  
  Glenis Willmott (Labour Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands and Labour’s Leader in Europe)
  
  
• 10:25     Approach to Ambient Assisted Living  
  
  Professor Philip Moore (Head of Research and Commercial Development, Faculty of Technology, De Montfort University)
  
  
• 10:45     Assisted Living Innovation Platform – Ageing, Innovation and Business  
  
  Jackie Marshall-Cyrus (Lead Specialist, Technology Strategy Board)
  
  
• 11:30     Lighting and the Elderly  
  
  Professor Andrew Price (Academic Director of HaCIRIC (Health and Care Infrastructure Research and Innovation Centre) and Professor of Project Management, Department of Civil and Building Engineering, Loughborough University)
  
  Shariful Shikder (Research Assistant, HaCIRIC, Department of Civil and Building Engineering, Loughborough University)
  
  
• 11:50     Translation Funding at the Wellcome Trust
    
  Dr Nicola Bailey (Business Analyst, Technology Transfer Division, Wellcome Trust)
  
  
• 12:10     Funding Opportunities for Business/University Partnerships  
  
  Joanna Lawrence (Knowledge Transfer Manager, De Montfort University)
  
  
• 13:30     Assistive Technology in Leicester  
  
  Barbara Archer (Planning and Service Development Officer – Assistive Technology, Leicester City Council)
  
  
• 13:50     European Funding for Innovation and Research
  
  Grahame Mansell-Grace (Business Delivery Manager, FP7 Service, East Midlands Innovation)
  
  
• 14:10     Ambient Assisted Living – Messages from Policy and Practise  
  
  Dr Richard Curry (Senior Scientific Adviser, Department of Health Research and Development Programme)