LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

PROJECT INTENTION

The motivation behind gAALaxy idea is to support older adults in staying autonomous and socially active in their familiar environment and in introducing them to AAL-technologies while using an ambient (integration of the system into life and living environment) and activating (inclusion and participation of the end-user into social environment) approach.

The goal of the gAALaxy development is to bundle existing, innovative AAL solutions with professional home automation systems in order to deliver a unique and unified end-user experience. The core of the gAALaxy vision is the creation of a holistic residential gateway revolving around ambient home automation technologies enhanced with activating and engaging AAL technologies which offers access to call centre technologies or relevant tele and social services.

The unique holistic approach of gAALaxy is the merging of stand-alone solutions that support elderly people in their core areas of life by combining home automation with AAL products and services on an adaptable and modular “AAL ready Smart Home” system that fits into the changing life phases of the end-user.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Collateral change in demographics will also allow growth in the large, but still emerging, AAL market. Many ageing people worry about losing the ability to live autonomously and to manage the individual activities of daily life independently.

In order to ease independent living for elderly in their familiar homes, the development and distribution of affordable, accessible, smart, easy-to-use, internet-based and retrofit solutions need to be facilitated by new alliances between high-potential markets and their promising solutions.

The new strategic alignment of the smart home providers with the willingness to integrate AAL solutions has a high social relevance concerning the further development of secure, comfortable, connected, energy-saved and age-friendly living as well as a strong influence on the successful and rapid commercialization of AAL products and services.

The aim of gAALaxy is to use this trend as a driver for age-appropriate holistic home and personal assistance essentially enriched by the approaches and solutions of AAL.

VOICES OF THE USERS

The gAALaxy solution is defined in close interaction with the users. The quotations below are statements from the requirement analyses for the gAALaxy solution. The goal to remain independent was one of the main findings of the analyses.

I know that my daughter would support me, on weekends or so … but I do not want that. I want to remain autonomous as long as possible.

Woman, 87, Austria

I do not want to move to a care home. I have such a nice apartment and I like to be there and do as I please.

Woman, 78, Austria

For me, this is the best time of my life. I only do what I want to do. And I pray that I can stay here as long as possible.

Woman, 72, Austria

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INNOVATION PROCESS

gAALaxy aims at putting the untapped potential of existing AAL-solutions into practice by smartly combining single solutions to a reliable and easy controllable technology and service bundle based on the demand of the market.

The solution-bundle will be put into practice as an international pilot region (Austria, Belgium and Italy) with iterative testing. gAALaxy follows an end-user driven methodology throughout the entire development process by involving primary end-users, secondary end-users (both informal and formal) as well as service providers (PE, i-SE, f-SE, SP, TE) in each of the participating countries. The main goal is to guarantee the PE’s social participation and overall wellbeing as well as to support them in living independently at home with a broad control of their own decisions and daily activities.

The continuous involvement of end-users in the project, starting from the selection over the personal adaption of the technology bundle to the consecutive pilot-testing, is one of the core aspects with regard to the applied methodology.

Primary End-Users (PE)
Older adults, who live at home or are residents of assisted living appartments.
Informal Secondary End-Users (i-SE)
Part of the social network and community of the PE.
Formal Secondary End-Users (f-SE)
Representing care organizations.
Tertiary End-Users (TE)
institutions of health care systems, such as insurance companies.
Service providers (SP)
Companies who offer services and solutions for the PE’s individual needs

DELIVERABLES

By clicking on the boxes below you will find a short summary of our already finished deliverables:

Deliverable 1.1: Requirement Analysis

Deliverable 2.1: Solution backlog and test labs established

Deliverable 2.2: Middleware v1 developed