The Assistive Home Automation activities are focused on AAL issues and methodologies to improve the life quality of people in their homes. A preliminary stage focused on sensor network design are defined to provide an optimization of the sensor network and to define the advanced techniques to process the data to extract the information based on the life style of the user inside the home environment. Three research projects are based on that activities:
Health@Home (SCN_00558) is an Italian project financed by MIUR, classified as first in the call for the Smart Cities projects in the Health area. Start date January 1 2014, End date 30 June 2019. The aim of H@H is to provide an assistance to the Citizens based on an integrated health and social services and interoperable devices/systems.
In the project, the research group (in cooperation with DII) developed: i) knowledges on the identification of sensors to monitor physiological and behavioural parameters, ii) the integration of these sensors in a unique platform and iii) a database to collect data and signals. The research group promoted and coordinated the implementation of a pilot case in Veneto region with the collaboration of local entities, e.g. A.T.E.R (Treviso), the OIC Onlus and the AULSS. The experimentation is started on February 2018 in 8 apartments with 13 older adults (age > 65 years old). The users are daily monitored through physiological and domotic sensors for more than one year. The data analysis is now in course and some research articles are already published in journals and conferences.
eWare (Early Warning Accompanies Robotics Excellence, is an AAL(start date 1 June 2017, End date 31 May 2020). The aim of eWare is to develop an ICT eco-system to improve the life quality of people with dementia (early to medium stage) that live alone at home and to support their caregivers. The project integrates two technologies already existing on the market, a sensor network to monitor ADLs and a social robot in the same platform to collect the information coming from the sensor network. The collected information are sent to the robot that uses such information to provide feedback at the older user at home and his/her caregivers. The research group validated the sensor network for the sleep monitoring and they are working on a simulation tool (Figure below) to optimize the installation of the sensor network in the home environment and to simulate the trajectories that are used to test Machine Learning algorithms on the identification of ADLs.
In the project the Group is also managing the scientific dissemination of results.
Homes4Life is a two years H2020 project (start date December 1 2018, end date November 30 2020). The aim of Homes4Life is to develop certification schemes to build and renovate buildings (including ICTs and sensors) with the goal of improving the life quality of older people. The research group will develop, for the project, a vision document for the sector at 2040. In addition, the group will work on identifying the technologies needed to make seniors independent at home, improving their lifestyle, their health and sociability.