A Network of Assistive Technology for an Independent and Functional Life
In 2018 VITECO is part of the NATIFLife project funded by the European Programme Interreg Europe Italy-Malta. The common challenge of the two Regions, Sicily and Malta, tackled by this project is to provide effective technological solutions to the growing needs of independence and autonomy of elderly and people with impairments. The main project objective is the development of an innovative framework of assistive technology by a joint action between research, industrial, institutional and social sectors. The project intends to provide end-users with autonomy, thus enabling dehospitalization, staying in places of origin and avoiding breaking the bonds with families. This reduces costs to the National Health System. The NATIFLife project produces the following main outputs:
- the strengthening of two research centres, one in Malta and one in Catania, Italy, equipped with innovative facilities to perform joint disruptive research in the field of assistive technology. Research centres provide support to enterprises willing to tackle the field of assistive technology;
- the development of timely research and an integrated platform of assistive technology compliant with innovative and traditional solutions;
- the realization of two pilot demo sites, one in Malta and one in Catania-Italy, where innovative and traditional solutions can be validated by end-users, by a strong joint efforts between enterprises, institutions and research centres. This is the first example of a joint cross-border action to bring technology close to end-users. The following approach are implemented:
- the two research centres are complementarity reinforced to exploit KETs, such as electronics, micro systems and mechatronics;
- new research are developed to build an integrated platform of assistive technology, to be installed in the Pilot Demo Sites;
- joint advanced research and industrial efforts are strategic cross-border activities to tackle the common challenge of active ageing and well being, also exploiting the contamination between stakeholders with high competences and complementary skills.
VITECO develops an informative portal to inform citizens about the activities carried out by the project and about the main objectives pursued. VITECO develops a software suitable for assistive and innovative technologies.
