UK Technology Strategy Board Announces Investment in Assisted Living Technology

The Technology Strategy Board announced its commitment to supporting innovation in Assisted Living by stating it will invest £6.5 million in six collaborative research and development projects to be completed by 2012/2013 that will develop new technologies to help the elderly and those with long-term health conditions. The projects will address the need for health and care technologies to embrace the changing telecommunications environment. While many of the sensors that will be required for remote health and care services are available now, the six research and development projects will look to combine these with advanced telecommunications. 

The public sector investment of £6.5m includes £1m from the Department of Health National Institute for Health Research and over £900,000 to participating universities from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.            

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“Our aim is to support the development of technologies that will lead towards truly independent living for those with long-term conditions and the elderly. In the longer term, the opportunities are for the development of entirely new services in which health and care follow the individual and are delivered wherever and whenever needed,” said Graham Worsley, who leads the Technology Strategy Board’s Assisted Living Innovation Platform.

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