PortoPilot – Digital technologies to decrease loneliness

Challenge: How to decrease the loneliness of the elderly?
PortoPilot – Digital technologies to decrease loneliness

Technology plays a crucial role in society. Not being part of the “connected society” promotes inequality and social exclusion. Portugal is rapidly ageing: in 2021 more than 2,4 million people, 23,4% of the Portuguese population was 65 years old or older. Unfortunately, senior citizens are among the most info-excluded groups, in 2020 only 39% of the population between the ages of 65-74 used the internet. Many reasons can explain such a fact, including low literacy levels, ageism, no contact with technology during their professional careers, lack of interest, motivation, or perceived usefulness. Ensuring that seniors can benefit from technology includes involving them in its creation, informing them about its use and guaranteeing that they feel safe and at ease while using it. At Fraunhofer AICOS we have been developing technology for seniors and with seniors for several years, employing a human-centred approach that includes final users throughout the several development phases of a product. Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS is experienced in understanding user contexts, co-designing inclusive and meaningful technologies and investigating its final impact in real environments. We propose to use our expertise to reduce loneliness among seniors by understanding how and which technologies can help elderly citizens feel more integrated in society and ease any feelings of isolation. Based on the literature and our prior experience, we know there is no one-size-fits-all solution to tackle loneliness in older age. Therefore, we propose to discover the most suitable technologies together with the beneficiaries of the technology. To do so, we will conduct focus groups with seniors from day care centres so that together we can identify unmet needs and challenges that can be tackled with the use of digital technologies.

FEUP: Tele Visit – The family goes home

Challenge:  How to decrease the loneliness of the elderly?
Tele Visit – The family goes home

In the City of Porto there are a large number of elderly people who live alone in social neighbourhoods. They often face health and well-being challenges, namely the under provision of critical goods and services, such as health care, food, medicines, due to the lack of mobility and autonomy. Furthermore, many of them are economically vulnerable and digitally illiterate. The present project from the Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto (FEUP)  aims to support the elderly in the Municipal public housing Area of Urban Rehabilitation (ARU) of Corujeira, in the parish of Campanha and their families, namely those with less resources, allowing the communication between them in safety and thus contributing as a prophylactic effect at three levels: 1) avoid a possible catastrophic event, especially among the most vulnerable people; 2) improve the mental health of the elderly; 3) support the interface with their family members.

Mental health needs to be valued, due to the context of loneliness, anxiety and depression that add to the difficulties in understanding the situation. The lack of mental health is associated with morbidity, reduced cognitive reserve and disability in older people. The negative impact of physical illness and depression increases disability and is associated with increased mortality. According to the WHO, Telemedicine is based on the use of information and communication technologies, allowing increased access to health care. The use of telemedicine can be seen in several areas, being applied in the USA by more than 60% of health organization and it is present in the area of mental health in 49 states. After obtaining an opinion from the Ethics Committee, the concept of telemedicine will be applied to facilitate tele visits by families to their elderly relatives, adopting technologies similar to those used for health care. FEUP – Engenharia Voluntária will provide technological support in terms of installation and training, with operationalization being carried out essentially through the voluntary intervention of the FEUP community. 10 seniors living alone in the Area of Urban Rehabilitation (ARU) of Corujeira will be involved. For each home, a survey of needs will be carried out, with the technology selected according to the needs identified.

Kwizie – From Passive Watching to Data-Driven Engagement

Challenge: How to support the recognition of competence with the help of a digital tool?

Kwizie – From Passive Watching to Data-Driven Engagement: AI Co-Pilot for Recognizing Competence from Video through Multiplayer Quiz Games

Kwizie offers Helsinki a new way for informal learning of worklife skills with video content. This digital tool enhances learning by making it interactive and data-driven. It connects video material with quizzes to teach for example difficult concepts and terms.

Kwizie gives Helsinki residents’ a resource to aid the transition from social services to education or work. With the pilots, the company promises to emphasise active participation over mere content consumption. Developed through a co-creation process, Kwizie actively involves trainers, learners, and stakeholders, ensuring tailored solutions.  

Stereoscape Oy – An interactive video-based platform

Challenge: Helsinki: How to reliably measure the digital skills of long-term unemployed citizens?

Stereoscape Oy – An interactive video-based platform for understanding and improving the digital skills of unemployed people

Stereoscape Oy’s interactive video content, coupled with an easy-to-use interface and visually appealing design, engages end users, encouraging them to invest time in improving and measuring digital skills. The video content can be customised and adapted for various user groups in the future. This time in Helsinki, it was used for educational purposes. 

During the pilot, a web page accessible through a URL link hosts an interactive video. Multiple-choice questions within the video collect data on the skill levels of end users. The video also offers recommendations for skill improvement. Motivation to learn more is boosted by inspiring career stories.

Suomen Digitaalinen Tehdas Oy – Pressure ulcer prevention

Challenge: How to prevent pressure ulcers in wheelchair patients?

Suomen Digitaalinen Tehdas Oy – Pressure ulcer prevention for wheelchair patients

An estimated 55,000-80,000 patients per year have a pressure ulcer in Finland. Almost nearly 2-3% of total healthcare spending is used on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of pressure ulcers although pressure ulcers are avoidable. 

Suomen Digitaalinen Tehdas Oy and Touchlab Limited aim to reduce the pressure ulcer formation with their innovation. In Helsinki, they pilot a pressure ulcer mat, which can be integrated into wheelchair seat pillows using a sensor solution. 

The solution helps the healthcare professionals, organisations and units with their daily routines. With an app, clinicians can set custom pressure thresholds, unique to each patient. When a pressure threshold is met and held for a period of time an alert will be sent to the clinician, allowing for redistribution to occur, and preventing a pressure ulcer. 

Riesa Consultative Oy – Crowdsourced accessibility survey

Challenge: Helsinki: How to generate pedestrian route information with participative data collection?

Riesa Consultative Oy – Crowdsourced accessibility survey for two districts in the City of Helsinki

The pilot project aims to collect accessibility information, specifically concerning voice-guided pedestrian crossings, the quality of pedestrian paths, and road crossings through crowdsourcing using a mobile game. The target audience for the project consists of individuals with visual or mobility impairments, a group that requires accessibility information for planning their movement in the urban environment.

For data collection, the Crowdsorsa mobile game is utilised, allowing participants to take photos and receive a small compensation for their contributions. The collected photos are analysed by Riesa Consultative Oy. Initially, the project will focus on 1–2 districts in Helsinki.

The company behind the project is Riesa Consultative Oy which has extensive expertise in accessibility within the built environment. Riesa has strong connections with various associations and organisations that support the implementation of the project.

Superflash Technology Oy – Sampo

Challenge: How to enhance the quality of life for citizens with severe disabilities through digital innovations?

Superflash Technology Oy – Sampo – The ultimate smart autonomous wheelchair solution

A new wheelchair system called The Sampo addresses limitations of traditional joystick controls. To simplify the operation of electric wheelchairs and bolster their safety, Superflash Technology Oy’s system is enhancing controls with machine learning. The solution encompasses two core components. First, eye-tracking integrated for navigation offers a more innovative and intuitive Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) experience than traditional joysticks. Second, SLAM technology for environmental perception identifies potential movement risks to ensure heightened safety.

The wheelchair control system integrates with traditional joystick-operated electric wheelchairs. It is drawing from mature technologies in the gaming and car industries, placing a particular emphasis on addressing the unique needs of individuals with disabilities and ensuring their safety.

Ai2Ai Oy – PALL0

Challenge: Helsinki: How to enhance the quality of life for citizens with severe disabilities through digital innovations?

Ai2Ai Oy – PALL0 – using all senses for communication and improved quality of life

Ai2Ai Oy created PALL0 to empower those with limited communication abilities. By using sophisticated sensors and communication technology, the solution offers an assistive technology that enhances intuitive ways to communicate. 

In Helsinki, the solution is piloted with healthcare professionals. In hospitals and rehabilitation centres PALL0 can help with various types of rehabilitation. It is versatile, with potential in the digital therapeutic market, and open for integration by software developers. Using one technology instead of multiple different ones would ease the burden of cognitive demands on learning to use new technologies.

Stereoscape’s web-based interactive DigiGuide

Challenge: How to encourage non-Finnish speakers to integrate into society?
Stereoscape’s web-based interactive DigiGuide

Web-based interactive digital guide (DigiGuide) from Stereoscape Oy is a service for clients of Employment support and social rehabilitation of the City of Helsinki to access and understand essential societal services.  The browser-based guide is easily accessible online through URL links on mobile phones, tablets and PCs. The main view of the DigiGuide features a bird’s-eye view of a city. Different services are highlighted with touch/click interactive hotspots each representing a service or other important topics. By clicking the hotspots, the users find more information about the topic through visuals and other multimedia content that make the information easy to understand. The information structure is also multilayered – through the landing screen, users can freely dive deeper into topics of their choice.

Digital skills for unemployed non-Finnish speakers

Challenge: How to integrate long-term unemployed citizens into working life?
Digital skills for unemployed non-Finnish speakers

In order to bridge the gap between high unemployment and high labor shortage, digital skills and vocational training to empower non-Finnish speakers are needed. These skills refer to the ability to access, evaluate, and create digital services and tools to manage life and work. During the pilot, the Aiedus provides digital skills training to improve non-Finnish speakers digital skills related to work capabilities. In other words, the goal is to equip unemployed with improved digital skills, in order to make them more competitive and employable in the job markets. The first objective of the pilot is to improve the digital skills of unemployed to use digital services and tools in life. The second objective is to improve digital skills for working, and thirdly, to improve lifelong learning capabilities to continuously develop digital skills. The fourth objective is to improve the employability and finally, to improve the overall quality of life.