Astraline and Johnnie Johnson Housing are working with CATCH (Centre for Assistive Technology and Connected Healthcare) at the University of Sheffield to deliver a trailblazing research project that enables organisations and researchers to test technology and ideas, in an ethically governed Independent Living Lab.
Awarded and funded by the Dunhill Medical Trust, TELLAB (Technology-Enabled Living Lab for Ageing Better) aims to help develop smart technologies for supporting older people to live independently and well. The funding supports academic researchers, working with community organisations and older people themselves, to undertake an innovative programme of study.
TELLAB is led by Professor Mark Hawley and Dr Stephen Potter, both of CATCH, with Astraline and Johnnie Johnson Housing as partners. The research aims to understand the healthy ageing needs and aspirations of older people from diverse backgrounds, and translate these into criteria for evaluating innovative assistive technologies.
Joe McLoughlin, Managing Director of Astraline, said, “Technology products, and services, are still largely built and developed by a small segment of society. It is important to create technology that serves a diverse population. The research plans to create social impact through working alongside seldom heard communities. It is through listening and dialogue we ensure we are in step with people’s needs, and that the technology can serve its purpose.”
We will set up a Living Lab within Johnnie Johnson Housing backed by a live-in researcher to support the development and testing of digital assistive technologies. Interviews, design workshops, journey mapping exercises, and co-creation processes with participants will guide the work.
“The facility is a bridge between the laboratory-based research environment and the homes of people in the community – creating a user-centric environment to evaluate emerging technology. A core of residents supported by a residents panel will experiment with emerging technology in their own homes,” said Kathryn Fox-Rogers, Johnnie Johnson Housing’s Chief Operating Officer.
The outcome will be a fresh approach to the assessment criteria and procedures for evaluating innovative technology. Astraline is updating its design process with insight gained from seldom-heard communities and a modern ethical approach to ensure no one is left behind.
“Our vision is to transform the ways in which people are enabled to live well and age well through the application of ubiquitous and personalised technology. We are excited to create a sustainable approach to technology choice and evaluation through the TELLAB project,” said Professor Mark Hawley, CATCH Director.
More information:
Astraline is an Award winning technology enabled care services company and wholly owned subsidiary of Johnnie Johnson Housing. With over 21 years’ experience in the TEC industry, we are TEC Quality Standards Framework (QSF) certified by the TEC Services Association (TSA).
Our ever-evolving digital offer combines quality service delivery, customer, and product leadership, cutting edge technology and firstclass account management. We work with industry partners looking for fully scalable technology enabled care and call handling services, through to personal clients looking for support from home. Astraline also provides consultative advice and support for the analogue to digital (A2D) switch. We are proud to be part of the Johnnie Johnson Housing Group.
Johnnie Johnson Housing is a not-for-profit housing association dedicated to offering quality affordable homes for independent living. We provide a wide range of quality homes for 7,000 residents in the North West, North East, Yorkshire and Derbyshire.
We have particular expertise in providing housing and services for older people and our portfolio includes purpose-built retirement properties available for rent, shared ownership and leasehold. Our motto ‘living longer, living better’ underlines our objective of providing safe, secure and affordable homes that residents want to remain in, with the option of a tailored package of support that evolves as the needs of each individual change.
The Dunhill Medical Trust invest in those who have great ideas and methods for improving the health and well-being of older people and in making the connections which can help them to flourish. We’re committed to applying our resources to inspiring and enabling academic researchers (from across the disciplinary range) and health and social care professionals to apply their knowledge and skills to improving the quality of life, functional capacity and well-being for older people now, or creating the context for change in the future: preventing, delaying or reducing future health and social care requirements. Award winning technology enabled care services company and wholly owned subsidiary of Johnnie Johnson Housing.
With over 21 years’ experience in the TEC industry, we are TEC Quality Standards Framework (QSF) certified by the TEC Services Association (TSA). Our ever-evolving digital offer combines quality service delivery, customer, and product leadership, cutting edge technology and firstclass account management. We work with industry partners looking for fully scalable technology enabled care and call handling services, through to personal clients looking for support from home. Astraline also provides consultative advice and support for the analogue to digital (A2D) switch. We are proud to be part of the Johnnie Johnson Housing Group.
The Centre for Assistive Technology and Connected Healthcare (CATCH) is a translational research centre at the University of Sheffield. We research, develop, evaluate and implement new technologies to enable people to live well and age well. Our aim is to make a significant and lasting contribution to the quality of life and independence of the growing number of people with disabilities and long-term health conditions.
The University of Sheffield has recognised the need for research in this area and has invested funds to develop the centre and research into assistive technology and telehealth.