Based on the two AIT AAL JP projects, AALuis and Relaxed Care, initiated and lead by the Biomedical Systems team (H&E Department), a conference lunch was organized at the European Parliament in Brussels. The importance of the topic “Smart Technology for Smart Seniors” was showcased and underlined by the presence of relevant speakers:
1. Neelie Kroes, EU Commissioner for Digital Agenda
2. Karina Marcus, Director at AAL
3. Peter WINTLEV- JENSEN, Deputy Head of Unit at the European Commission, DG CNECT
4. MEP Lambert Van Nistelorooij
The talks focussed on the big challenges of the society in combination with the “Digital Agenda” and the aging population. An outlook was given also on the upcoming funding programs targeting these topics.
The presentation of the two AAL Projects, www.aaluis.eu and www.relaxedcare.eu was focused on the important task of end user involvement and the collaboration with end-user organisations throughout the research project lifecycle.
A new aspect for the conference lunches were the “round table discussions” on four selected challenges and the very active involvement of the audience on possible future steps. Those tables were moderated by the present project partners 50plus, Verklizan, Cure, Prosyst and AIT.
The initiative was a remarkable opportunity for showcasing the concrete achievements of this European Programme.