Innovation

1. Studies of work

The term 'appropriation' is employed to denote the manner in which technologies are adopted, adapted and integrated into professional practice. The concept may encompass customisation in the traditional sense, that is to say the explicit reconfiguration of the technology to satisfy specific needs within the workplace context. Alternatively, it may simply involve the utilisation of the technology for purposes other than those intended by its designers, or for objectives that were not originally envisaged.

This is why participatory design is so central to our approach to innovation, together with a strong focus on sociotechnical concerns. The concept of "social" – and how it shapes technology – is at the centre of the approach developed to understand the acceptability of technologies to support ageing well.

Firstly, it is evident that both prevention and social action centres function in close collaboration with living labs, adopting a comprehensive approach to the concept of ageing well. The notion of continuous prevention encompasses the medical, psychological and, most significantly, the social dimensions of ageing. The care relationship with professionals visiting the home is studied in context, according to the category of caregiver. For example, the role of the nurse is studied in situ. Furthermore, an understanding of the work of home service professionals, such as housekeepers, facilitates the identification of questions pertaining to the complexity of activities associated with healthy and active ageing.

Secondly, family caregivers are also integrated into the living lab ecosystem. Indeed, it is essential to identify the real participation of people in the neighbourhood that occurs as a complement to that of the family circle. This involvement in the lives of the elderly manifests in two distinct dimensions: the provision of moral support and the provision of material assistance. Within the domain of geriatric care, information from these individuals constitutes a fundamental element in ensuring a comprehensive healthcare approach.
 

2. Interdisciplinary cooperation

The living lab is a unique entity in that it combines a variety of skills and competencies in a complementary manner. The plateforme environment is composed of "clusters" of companies, healthcare stakeholders, and research laboratories. Interdisciplinary collaboration is emphasised, ensuring that bridges between technological, social, economic and health approaches can be built. Such an ecosystem is conducive to the development of innovation through usage, with the overarching objective being the provision of daily support to the elderly.

The key elements in the success of LL2A are:

• Prototyping: Usefulness, accessibility and acceptability of technological solutions for the elderly and healthcare and home service professionals, are iteratively evaluated and improved.
• Ethnographic observations: Specific user needs and constraints for the technology or service developed will be observed initially in the controlled environment of the LL2A platform, before on observation phase in situ, in homes, as well as in prevention and care centres, with the solutions integrated in subsequent iterations.

The participatory design platform is a mechanism that enables the needs and practices of stakeholders to be expressed and taken into account in the development of digital health technologies. 

The ActivAgeing Living Lab is distinguished by its research platform and its multidisciplinary approach. The provision of technological and methodological tools for the 'adaptive design' of services in the workplace or at home is enabled by these two elements, with the objective being the promotion of independence, health and well-being in older people. This approach, which emphasises the active participation of individuals and is part of a human-centred methodology, has two main objectives. On the one hand, it is argued that the objective is to increase the independence of those concerned, and on the other, to enhance their dignity and autonomy.