Surplus Welzijn – A new (virtual) reality for Youth work

Challenge: Wildcard – Propose tech solutions contributing to a breakthrough in intergenerational problems.

Surplus Welzijn – “A new (virtual) reality for Youth work: beyond gaming for fun in applying VR in youth work”.

Surplus Youthwork aims to utilize virtual reality (VR) games to enhance the social-emotional skills of young people in vulnerable communities. The project focuses on using existing VR games, such as “Keep Talking and nobody explodes,” “Job Simulator,” and “Wander,” to find new ways to strengthen communication skills, empathy and stress management. Surplus has trained youth workers as VR specialists and collaborated with Avans University of Applied Sciences to select these games. The project aims to develop a methodological manual for VR game use, making it transferable to youth workers nationwide. The co-creation methods involve gathering feedback from young people and synthesizing the knowledge of youth and youth workers in the manual. The target group actively participates in designing the manual and engaging in creative sessions. Overall, the project seeks to enhance youth work through the creative application of VR technology, with a focus on addressing social-emotional skills.

Brainstorm en concept – Virtual Reality Training

Challenge: Wildcard – Propose tech solutions contributing to a breakthrough in intergenerational problems.

Brainstorm en concept – Virtual Reality Training Intergenerational Problems

An interactive Virtual Reality application can help different generations understand each other in intergenerational themes and help them respect each other.

For different generations/target groups an ‘environment’ will be developed in which they can learn and understand the challenges that other generations are facing. The environment will be filmed in 360 technology with an interactive layer.

By using VR the user feels like they are truly in this virtual world which creates a strong impact and has a positive effect on the training results. Virtual Reality is a great way to experience situations from a different point of view and to become part of a world or environment which one normally doesn’t connect with.

AR-GO lab Oy – ILI metaverse

Challenge: How to strengthen the health of youth through attractive and playful technology?

AR-GO lab Oy – ILI metaverse – gamified metaverse to support young people’s mental health and empower them to make the right life choices.

ILI is a gamified virtual world designed to empower young people to make life choices and overcome mental health challenges and problematic behaviour patterns that may persist from previous generations.

Involving young people in the co-creation of scenes, avatars, and scenarios for pilot projects enhances communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Gamification and motivational elements make the solution engaging for regular use. ILI offers confidential, trustworthy and easy-to-use assistance in challenging life situations and in making difficult but correct life choices.

ILI Metaverse combines immersive technology, gamification, and artificial intelligence tools to provide young people with a secure environment for developing crucial life skills making a transformative impact on countless lives.

XS2Content (XS2AUDIO BV) – Video Avatar Influencers

Challenge: Breda: How can resilient role models help families to develop healthy relationships?

XS2Content (XS2AUDIO BV) – Video Avatar Influencers

XS2Content’s primary objective is to foster healthy socio-emotional relationships among youth and families in Breda. The proposed solution, named “Video Avatar Influencer,” aims to provide pertinent information on topics like criminality, addiction, and socially undesirable behaviours to prevent polarization.
The platform will feature video avatars, designed as digital influencers, to engage families and youth. The avatars will be co-created with input from the target youth group to ensure their relevancy and appeal. The technology allows these avatars to be customized with updated information by youth care workers, making them dynamic and adaptable. The videos will be compatible across online platforms like the web, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Additionally, they can be accessed offline through QR codes on flyers and outdoor posters.

Duckwise ApS – Simplifying bank account setup

Challenge: How can technology ease the process of setting up a bank account for foreigners?

Duckwise ApS – A collaborative approach to simplifying bank account setup for the international workforce in Aarhus Municipality

This pilot project aims to streamline the process of opening bank accounts for the international workforce in Aarhus Municipality. The current inefficient process poses challenges for internationals, Citizen Services, banks, and companies. By embracing a user-centred, iterative approach rooted in design thinking, we seek to identify challenges and create a valuable and impactful solution that simplifies and expedites the process.

The anticipated outcome will benefit not only Aarhus Municipality but also have the potential for replication in other municipalities, offering a feasible cross-municipal solution. Through co-creation with key stakeholders, Duckwise ApS aims to foster innovation, collaboration, and creative problem-solving to address the challenges the international workforce faces. This project exemplifies a commitment to a user-driven, replicable solution that can enhance the lives of internationals and streamline administrative processes for all involved parties.

KU Leuven – Breaking Boundaries with Situated Surveys

Cross-Border Pilot with Prague

Challenge: How to engage the citizens in participatory planning?

KU Leuven – Breaking Boundaries with Situated Surveys

As cities become denser and more diverse, it is simultaneously more important and more challenging to ensure inclusive and participatory decision-making. While the advantages of citizen participation are generally accepted, such as improving the quality and sustainability of decisions by building bottom-up support, how to effectively facilitate this remains unclear. What is certain is that existing methods to facilitate citizen engagement pose many barriers, particularly to vulnerable communities. 

This pilot proposes to enhance engagement by bringing it directly to people and into the urban space where change is already happening, including a broader and more diverse people in the urban planning process. As the project aims to engage hard-to-reach citizens and tackle contextual urban planning challenges, right from the ground, it will further validate this and co-create the deployment of Citizen Dialog Kit survey devices in three different European cities. 

GTC (Gyumri Technology Center) – EduConnect

Challenge: How to reduce school absenteeism through an inclusive educational solution?

 GTC (Gyumri Technology Center) – “EduConnect: Personalized Learning for Every Student”

EduConnect is a revolutionary educational initiative aimed at transforming school attendance and engagement in the City of Porto. Fuelled by cutting-edge AI and machine learning technologies, EduConnect offers a suite of personalised learning apps tailored to each student’s unique learning style, pace, and strengths. 

By harnessing the power of interactive modules, gamification, and progress tracking, the proposal redefines the learning experience, making it both informative and enjoyable. Accessibility features ensure inclusivity for all students, including those with disabilities, fostering a truly diverse and inclusive learning environment. 

The impact of EduConnect is profound, with students experiencing heightened motivation, improved academic performance, and the flexibility to learn at their own pace. 

Associação Fraunhofer Portugal Research – Porto Sense

Challenge: How to improve the thermal comfort and overall health in residential buildings?

Associação Fraunhofer Portugal Research – Porto Sense

Household environment profoundly impacts human health. PortoSense aims to improve thermal comfort and the overall health quality within residential spaces. The proposal intends to develop a user-friendly tool that offers residents in-depth knowledge of homes’ environmental conditions and crucial data about their living spaces in an accessible manner, and to combine a human-centred design and co-design sessions to prototype a digital recommendation system to passively enhance living conditions.

The proposal includes a collaboration with residents in urban rehabilitation areas, conducting focus groups to identify needs, evaluate sensing systems, and empower users with best practices. Summing up, PortoSense is developing a digital solution that not only monitors living conditions but empowers users with clear data for effective action. In an sustainability-driven age, this pilot aims for life improvements without the complexities of major renovations.

Empowering Elderly by Hoivita

Challenge: How to increase the autonomy of the elderly?
Empowering Elderly by Hoivita

The safety and comfort of the elderly has been the driving force of the Hoivita since incorporation. Hoivita currently caters to customers in the South Karelia, Pirkanmaa and Uusimaa regions of Finland with ongoing pilots with Spanish hospitals. With our automatic, easy-to-install solutions combined with the Hoivita One View platform, we have saved the lives of many elderly clients by tracking their movements at their homes and providing objective data to the caregivers to take corrective measures early. In Challenge 2, “How to increase the autonomy of the elderly?” Hoivita targets clientele who don’t have pets, live alone or with their spouse, live in a studio, two-bedroom or three-bedroom apartment.

Expected Outcomes:
• Increased awareness on the wellbeing of the elderly without intruding their daily routines
• Provides a more holistic view of the elderly to the caregiver ensuring their wellbeing is monitored round the clock
• Provides objective data for caregivers to take corrective measures when necessary
• Help caregivers to determine if the right amount of care is being provided (or if transfer to an assisted living facility or hospital is required)

WeSolve, Inclusion of the Elderly

Challenge: How to decrease the loneliness of the elderly?
WeSolve, Inclusion of the Elderly

The golden years of life should be embraced as an opportunity to fully engage with one’s community and city. This can be accomplished through a variety of enriching experiences, such as connecting with individuals from different age groups, sharing personal stories and knowledge, learning new skills, and gaining fresh perspectives on the world. Through the platform built by WeSolve ApS, elderly people can participate in a wide range of activities by creating a sense of belonging and providing dedicated activities and resources for senior citizens, the platform aims to alleviate feelings of isolation and promote social connectivity within the community and a brighter future for everyone involved with a particular attention to elderly individuals needs. WeSolve can be used as a powerful tool by municipalities to enhance the level of elderly engagement in order to create a more connected, and more engaged community. By empowering elderly people through community-based initiatives and promoting social cohesion, WeSolve platform results as the means through which municipalities can reduce the likelihood of social isolation and create a brighter future for elderly individuals. We Solve provides tools for elderly people to come together, connect with one another, and participate in activities that are meaningful and impactful.

Through the participation of various activities, it is possible to enhance the inclusion by removing barriers such as language and socio-economic status. By removing such barriers, WeSolve is able to enhance inclusion and create a sense of belonging for all participants. This sense of community is essential for the well-being of elderly people, as it provides them with the support and encouragement they need.