Project overview

Smart IT solutions will give elderly people a better quality of life

To increase the aging population’s influence over their own situation and to help them to be able to stay at home longer, with the help of Internet of Things technology. That is the vision of FRONT-VL, a new European project with Linnaeus University as one of 21 partners and a total budget of EUR 7.2 million.

More and more people are getting older, while healthcare has problems with increasing costs and red numbers. As the population becomes ever more technically experienced, it comes natural to look into how computers and the Internet of Things can aid in finding solutions for the future.

It is these opportunities that the research project FRONT-VL will investigate. The vision is to give elderly people more influence over their own situation and the opportunitiy to stay on in their own home longer. This will be done by using technology for independent living as well as by making it possible to handle chronic diseases through remote monitoring and self-care. The Internet of Things, where devices, appliances and everyday objects can be linked together and exchange data, will play a big role.

– Somewhat unique for this project is that we by using existing technical interface standards create a modular system with open standards. This makes it possible for different companies to create their own services and solutions, says Jan Aidemark, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Informatics at Linnaeus University and supervisor of the project.

The concept will be tested in five different use cases – rehabilitation, prevention of falls, mental health, palliative care and nutritional monitoring – where elders and experts will develop solutions together.

– From Linnaeus University's part, we will contribute expertise in the areas of co-design, safety and privacy issues, business development, and big data analysis, says Linda Askenäs, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Informatics and Project Manager at the university. It is important that we get the elders to take part in the project and that we create solutions for them that will become a natural part of their everyday lives, so that they can live the life they want as long as possible.

FRONT-VL stands for "From empowering to viable living". The project extends over three years, beginning this December, and includes 21 partners in five countries. It is led by Telia Company and the total budget is 7.2 million Euros, of which the Swedish part is financed by Vinnova by more than SEK 14 million.

More information