The situation in Europe

As the European population ages, support is required for an increasing number of older people.

Governments want to use technology to help them make a positive contribution to society and live full lives.

Advances in sensing, networking and audiovisual communication are enabling technology to:

• Support older people in their own homes
• Increase their quality of life
• Encourage them to actively engage with family, friends and society

What is Netcarity?

Netcarity is a four year, €13 million European project researching and testing technologies which will help older people improve their:

• Wellbeing
• Independence
• Safety
• Health
• Communication
• Confidence

Netcarity is investigating how new and existing technologies can be integrated into people’s homes, making them feel more comfortable about remaining in this familiar environment.

Together, these technologies will:

• Enhance communication with friends, family and care givers
• Support everyday living
• Promote a sense of social inclusion

Netcarity’s vision

Netcarity will encourage older people to live independently and inspire them to be more socially active.

Netcarity’s goal is to turn older peoples’ homes into supportive environments which include them in society and postpone or avoid the expensive and traumatic move into care homes.

Netcarity sees a future where homes retain their conventional look and feel but seamlessly incorporate many technologies, working behind the scenes to provide non-intrusive support.

The Netcarity system

One proposal is that each home will have a carefully-designed piece of electronic furniture which controls and integrates data from devices in rooms around the house. The box will coordinate services and information coming into the home, and distribute data to family members, carers and local authorities including:

• Intrusion alerts
• Mood status of the homeowner
• Activity status of the homeowner
• A list of recent visitors

The system could:

• Help older people to shop without leaving home
• Identify visitors before they are allowed to enter
• Recognise dangers such as a fire, or if the user needs help if they have fallen over, and immediately alert the nominated contacts
• Provide direct and non-intrusive links to medical support
• Enable remote monitoring of vital signs and encourage intervention where necessary
• Promote a healthy lifestyle through balanced eating, exercise and social interactions

Making it work

Netcarity is not developing theories. The Netcarity system will be tested in new and existing homes in:

• Trento, Italy
• Eindhoven, The Netherlands

Residents will help to design systems, and then evaluate them during the largest test of its kind.

This will give the Netcarity team:

• Accurate responses from real people
• The ability to refine the technologies used
• Understand the factors influencing their integration into homes