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Prototype 'Guiding Environment' delivered!

02-10-2020

With a closing online conference organized by the KIEN Foundation on Thursday October 1. this year, the 'Guiding Environment' research was actually completed. From Digital Life, Saskia Robben, Michel Oey, Nazli Cila, Marcel Aarts and Sergio Bondietti have been involved in this project for 2.5 years. Roel van de Wiel contributed his knowledge from HAN University of Applied Sciences (HBO-ICT Software Engineering).

Aging and dementia

The study - also known as 'The Interactive Living Environment' - was started in 2018 because in today's society a striking development is visible: the rapidly aging Dutch population. The risk of dementia plays a major role in this. With the health care reform, the emphasis is on living independently at home for longer and people with early and moderate dementia are hardly or not at all eligible for living in nursing or care homes.

Quality of life

In connection with this, the research project has developed an interactive, "empathetic living room" that can support and stimulate people with early dementia with daily activities so that they can live independently at home for longer. Why does this matter? Stimulating the ability to independently perform General Daily Operations (GDO) supports elderly people with dementia in maintaining and increasing their quality of life. In addition, the empathetic home can relieve care professionals and carers in this way.

Interactive livingroom

The first prototype of the 'empathetic house' has been installed in the living lab at Kleefse Waard Industrial Park in Arnhem. Here, the interactive living room has been technically integrated, tested and improved by the researchers from Digital Life. Subsequently, tests were carried out in the Driegastenhuizen Group. There, both residents and healthcare professionals were introduced to exactly how an empathetic home works. Based on this, a second, improved prototype has been developed, which is currently in the living lab in Arnhem.

Also curious about how the prototype of this house works? Then watch the video 'How does an empathetic home work?'

Digital Life is proud of the end result!