Fujitsu Laboratories and Fujitsu Ireland have launched the KIDUKU Project, a research initiative that provides monitoring services to senior citizens living in assisted independent living environments plus patients that live in smart houses.
The project that began in July 2013 in Ireland and scheduled to last three years is being carried out in collaboration with three other research institutions named TRIL, CASALA, and CLARITY that are developing a system to support independent living through health management and ICT
The “Technology Research for Independent Living” or TRIL operates as a hospital-based medical research institution. TRL uses various sensing and information display technologies to carry out research to support independent living primarily for elderly patients.
TRIL performs research on falls prevention, cognitive function, social and mental health, wellness and exercises, and perceptual function. So far, researchers have deployed real world environment technology developed in a lab to homes with seniors who have been assessed in the TRIL clinic.
The “Centre for Effective Solutions for Ambient Living Awareness” or CASALA manages sensing environment-enabled experimental smart houses in Dundalk Ireland. With the cooperation of residents, the institution carries out tests for various types of equipment as well as tests on the equipment used to monitor activities.
CASALA was established in 2009 by Netwell and the Software Technology Research Centre within the Dundalk Institute of Technology with seed funding available from Enterprise Ireland under the Applied Research Enhancement Program.
The “Centre for Sensor Web Technologies” or referred to as CLARITY develops technologies to use to visualize and analyze voice, video, and other sensing data. The research institution has a strong track record in analyzing human behavior in areas such as sports, medicine, and everyday living.
To get the data needed, researchers deploy contact pressure and motion sensors attached to everyday objects and gather information on temperature, humidity, light levels, vibration, orientation, and mobility issues.
According to Regina Moran, CEO, Fujitsu Ireland Ltd. “Fujitsu Ireland along with the three research organizations are creating a unique business opportunity by developing sensor-based health assessment tools. The market for these tools is estimated to have a world-wide value of 17 billion EU by 2017.”
Go to www.fujitsu.com, www.casala.ie, www.trilcentre.org, and www.clarity-centre.org for more information.