Living Lab ActivAgeing

Longevity and healthy ageing

The research areas of digital health and the prevention of loss of independent living in the context of an ageing population are the focus of the living lab.

Researchers are required to work in a multidisciplinary way. This approach has clearly become the norm. For example, it has proved its value in addressing the issue of physical frailty in a holistic manner. The ActivAgeing Living Lab brings together the following complementary disciplines: sociology, ergonomics, biomechanics, signal processing, computer science, and electronics. This enables action research ranging from needs analysis to the evaluation of socio-technical systems, incorporating co-design as part of an iterative process of development. Furthermore, the participatory nature of the research, in addition to its multidisciplinary nature, helps to inform reflection on the phenomena under study, particularly through the contribution of different perspectives from professional stakeholders, such as geriatricians. In summary, interdisciplinarity and collaboration are the defining features of the platform, particularly in studies on professional practices relating to the use of digital technology and connected health devices to ensure continuity of care following hospital discharge to the home environment.

Research activities within the Activageing platform, in particular, draw on the methodology of participatory design to ensure they address the practical concerns of healthcare professionals and the ageing population. Taking a holistic view of health means paying particular attention to the experiences of those affected by and involved in this care. This working methodology enables effective co-design with users of digital health services. Situations of vulnerability are common in old age and require healthcare professionals to provide appropriate prevention and support. The views of those with personal experience of the issue, along with their carers, are gathered and given full consideration in the participatory process. Researchers at UTT are committed to promoting the concept of a more inclusive society in a sustainable way.

1. Designing with the users

The platform is a participatory design laboratory that facilitates the design of adequate services and technologies to support health and autonomy. These are innovated in collaboration with the users. The involvement of participants in every step of the innovation process undertaken by the living lab is an essential component of the system.
 

2. Two ways to get everyone involved

The living laboratory is a concept that fosters user participation in the development of beneficial technologies and services. It aims to mitigate the physical and cognitive decline experienced by elderly individuals through two primary mechanisms:
Iterative development – underpinned by the tenets of user-driven innovation, which facilitates substantial time savings in the conceptualisation of technologies and services. Participatory design and ecosystem – this is a term used to describe a methodology that considers the human person in a contextualised and holistic way, with an interest for their practices at large and their values.
 

3. Expertise : Design and evaluation

LL2A’s expertise specializes in:

• Evaluating the social appropriation of technological solutions for health and autonomy of the elderly,
• Designing technologies for all types of end users to improve and support actions of care and monitoring.

4. Network of Living Labs

As a member of international or French networks of Living Labs (ENoLL – European Network of Living Labs, Forum des Living Labs Santé et Autonomie, France Living Labs), the Living Lab ActivAgeing benefits from the support of other Living Labs, either in terms of methodology or application domain : participatory design, e-health, autonomy, active and healthy ageing. Together with its research platform (unique in the French Grand-Est region), the Living laboratory offers a favourable context to the design and iterative evaluation of solutions to support the autonomy of elderly people, that actually have an impact.
 

5. Achieving adequate design

We design technologies that are usable, useful, and actually add to the dignity and empowerment of the older person. This “adequate design” is achieved through human-centred design, and participatory design, i.e including “end-users” – whether the older person, family caregivers, or care or health professionals – by co-designing with them solutions that have meaning for them, and corresponds to their needs and values.
 

6. Collaborative research

Since its founding in 2013, the Living Lab has strengthened its international visibility in the field of health and autonomy of the elderly, through the collaboration in various European projects and industry-academia partnerships. In particular, the Living Lab’s research is internationally recognized concerning the design and evaluation of socially assistive mobile robotics, in terms of acceptability of social robots in residence homes, and Human Robot Interaction criteria, like utility, suitability and accessibility.

These last years, the Living Lab has been involved in several collaborative research projects, whether publicly- or industry-funded, at European or local levels.

• EU research projects: PaeLife (AAL) ; ECHORD++ CLARC (FP7) ; Health in Smart Rurality HIS2R (Interreg), GAITREHAB (DIH-HERO)
• ANR (national) research projects: PRuDENCE
• Regional / local research projects: SeeIt; NextRPA; SmartArt; FrailCoach; Responsabilité Populationnelle, FragilIT, DemAsCH (Bien Veillir Korian), Motiv@Dom

7. Partners

The Living Lab was conceived as a direct response to a discerned regional need for comprehensive support and resources to facilitate successful ageing. The organisation's establishment also arose from a broader concern regarding health issues and the ageing process. The Living Lab benefits from the active support of public and local authorities, as well as donor companies, on different levels.

The financial support of the Aube departmental council (Conseil Départemental de l'Aube), the Troyes City agglomeration (Troyes Champagne Métropole), the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur, de la Recherche et de l'Innovation) and the Grand Est Region (Région Grand Est) is highly visible. Although the investment funds for the technology platforms have also been provided by the aforementioned authorities, the day-to-day functioning of LL2A is funded by the organisations listed below, including donors and research partners.