Embracing Technological Development and Salutogenic Health Promotion in the Provision of Assistive Technologies.

The growing incidence of Noncommunicable Diseases has increased focus on the promotion of physical activity within the therapeutic environment. Research demonstrates a shift in mentality away from the pathogenic orientation of health promotion, resulting in the formation of salutogenic health promotion concepts and assistive technologies that actively promote health.

Living Lab as an Agile Approach in Developing User-Friendly Welfare Technology.

This paper discusses living lab as a method of developing user-friendly welfare technology, and presents a qualitative evaluation research of how living lab tested technologies impacted on the life of healthcare customers and professionals over test periods.

"Design for Somebody" - Approach Enabling Mobile Technology Development.

This paper presents case examples of Design for Somebody (DfS) philosophy used both in developing novel technologies and modifying existing main stream technologies applicable for users with special needs. DfS embodies variety of mobile technology approaches to generate personalised means to enable and motivate physical, cognitive and social skills development.

Education in care and technology, a facilitator of interdisciplinary research and development.

OBJECTIVE: Application of technology in care is hindered by two factors; a critical attitude of care professionals towards the use of technology as part of care delivery and a lack of knowledge of care practice by technology developers. Technological developments may provide adequate solutions to support care provision. The principles of user centred design and development, traditionally used in the development of assistive technology, may provide powerful tools to support care provision. Interdisciplinary research will be needed to take full benefit. Educational programs to support this development are lacking. Main content of this paper: Six organisations of higher education have taken the initiative to organize a training program to support professionals active in the care or in the technology domain that enables them to become involved in interdisciplinary research and development. RESULTS: a European program to educate a professional master in Care and Technology has been developed and is described in this paper. Accreditation of the program is initiated. CONCLUSION: Alumni of such a program may form a European network of professionals that are active in developing new solutions to support people with special needs and contribute to the generation of new business.

User experiences of mobile controlled games for activation, rehabilitation and recreation of elderly and physically impaired.

The purpose of this paper was to study how aged people experience mobile controlled game as a method of rehabilitation and recreation. The target group contained persons 70+ years of age living in assisted living conditions (N=34). The average age of the participants was 85.9 years. Women (n=17) and men (n=17) were equally presented in the sample group. Only 12 % (n=4) of participants were involved in an active weekly-based rehabilitation, light physical sitting exercises 38% (n=13). Three (n=3) of the participants (9%) used computers (net banking), and 20 (59%) used mobile phones on daily basis. Social activities and physical activation seem to be rather inadequate and traditional in assisted living organizations. The overall experiences of mobile controlled game described in this paper appeared to be a successful experiment also proving that the elderly are not as reluctant to use technical devices or playing virtual games as often thought. The game was reckoned very motivating, interesting, and entertaining both by the aged and the staff. Activation, rehabilitation and recreation in the elderly homes or assisted living organizations could benefit from utilization of new technology providing new ways and solutions that motivate the users and offer also possibilities for measuring and follow-up of the physical impacts. The future goals to improve the game were set according to the feedback given in this survey: a) wider variety of controlling modes for the game, b) developing various difficulty levels, c) developing the game to support different kinds of body movements, d) easily modified according to the individual user's exercising or rehabilitation needs as well as e) emphasizing the social aspects of the game by producing multiplayer versions.