Advancing active and healthy ageing with ICT: service robotics within assisted living environments

Topic description

Scope:

Specific challenge: Citizens in an ageing European population are at greater risk of cognitive impairment, frailty and social exclusion with considerable negative consequences for their independence, quality of life, that of those who care for them, and for the sustainability of health and care systems.

The challenge is to develop new breakthroughs for active and assisted living based on advanced ICT solutions.

Scope: Proposals should focus on service robotics in assisted living environments which can help an ageing population to remain active and independent for longer. Proposals should build on advances in this domain, and should combine multi-disciplinary research involving behavioural, sociological, health and other relevant disciplines. Characteristics of the solutions developed should be their modularity, cost-effectiveness, reliability, flexibility in being able to meet a range of needs and societal expectations, applicability to realistic settings, safety and acceptability to end-users. Gender and ethical issues should be paid due attention.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 3 and 4 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected impact: 

• Evidence for the benefits of service robotics developed, based on proof of concept and involvement of relevant stakeholders
• Reduction of admissions and days spent in care institutions, and prolongation of time spent living in own home when ageing with emerging functional impairments.
• Improvement in quality of life of older persons and of their carers
• Global leadership in advanced solutions supporting active and healthy ageing

Type of action:  Research and innovation actions

Socio-economic science and humanities
Gender
Contractual Public-Private Partnerships (cPPPs)
Y