Smart home science on show

The latest scientific developments in independence-enabling technology, robotics, mobility solutions and telehealth are the focus of an upcoming interactive forum being held at a Queensland aged care facility during National Science Week.

The Community Resourcing initiative aims to demonstrate the role of science in enabling independent and safer living for seniors and is being held at Ozcare’s Currimundi aged care facility on the Sunshine Coast.

The forum will incorporate demonstrations of local and international leading-edge science and technology projects – including those co-produced with consumers – that empower people in their homes and communities.

Dr Mohan Karunanithi, who is a group leader at the CSIRO’s Australian e-Health Research Centre, will be at the event to demonstrate the CSIRO’s aged care services platform Smarter Safer Homes technology.

The platform involves a range of non-intrusive environmental sensors placed around the home to monitor things including movement, kitchen appliances, humidity and temperature and the use of furniture and cupboards.

“We are now trying to co-create with partners who are delivering the service, essentially looking at how a service delivery model could use this platform,” Dr Mohan Karunanithi told Technology Review.

He encouraged aged care providers to attend the forum for an opportunity to see the platform’s features and functionality including a demonstration from their living lab of the sensors.

“We will be able to extract the information and show the activities of daily living and also the health measurements and how they could use that. It will give a sense of someone’s functional independence and health profile, how it could be utilised to look at someone’s longitudinal progression and whether there are any changes that need intervention,” he said.

Games, wearables and bikes

Professor Stuart Smith, who is professor of disruptive technologies at the University of the Sunshine Coast, will be at the forum to talk about gaming and other technology to help people to live independently for longer. He will showcase games for falls prevention and stroke rehabilitation and wearable activity tracking devices.

The Kawanan Electric Bike Centre would also be there to demonstrate their electric bicycles, which Professor Smith said had great potential for keeping older people independent.

“Electric bikes will enable older people to take up cycling as an alternative transport choice,” Professor Smith told Technology Review. “They can also be used for rehabilitation for hip and knee surgery.”

The forum takes place on Tuesday 18 August at Currimundi Gardens aged care facility from 9am – 12.30pm. Find out more or register for the free event here.  or email contact@communityresourcingworldwide.com.au.

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