Clinically-validated INtegrated Support for Assistive Care & Lifestyle Improvement: vINCI

By project HoCare

Published on 04 October 2022

Romania

About this good practice

Development of an integrated technological platform whereby the elderly is discreetly monitored through sets of extensible technologies, personal records being stored securely and analysed to retrieve information for early detection of symptoms associated with age-related deficiencies and for triggering alerts related to possible incidents.
By integrating proven open-data analytics technology with innovative user-driven IoT devices in four standardized kits, and with business models, vINCI aims to assist caregivers and provide smart care for older adults at out-patients clinics and outdoors.
vINCI integrates a wide range of monitoring devices: the specific questionnaires for Quality of Life (QoL) and physical activity; wearable devices: CMD smartwatch or Fitbit, smart insoles, depth camera and others to collect data; the information is uniquely integrated into the platform and the user interacts through smartphones and dashboard applications.
The support platform for vINCI technology was designed in order to provide scalability, robustness and reliability (cloud technology over micro-services) and security (adding more levels of protection, redundant).
The main stakeholders and beneficiaries of the practice are:
• End-users:
o the older adults aged 65+;
o formal and informal caregivers
o the medical personnel
• Older adults (private or public) care-centers or hospitals
o An Association of family members from Lyon, France
• Insurance companies

Resources needed

Project costs:
• Public grant: 1.125.176,45 Euros
• Partner own contribution: 364.580,61 Euros
• Total: 1.489.757,06 Euros
Total Person-month spent: 209,64 Person-months

Evidence of success

The technology designed for user interaction was developed with the active involvement of the elderly.
vINCI technology was analysed and validated by pilots in controlled and uncontrolled environments. The medical partner performed the standard clinical validation procedure with over 100 participants based on experimental protocols in accordance with 86/609 / EC Council Directive.
The analysis of the collected data showed an improvement in the quality of life.

Potential for learning or transfer

vINCI product, an assistive monitoring technology for the elderly, is represented by the vINCI app, a freeware downloadable mobile app that elderly can install on a smart tablet, laptop or a smartphone, that allows easily connectivity for many devices.
As demonstrated during the development and implementation of this good practice, another success factor in obtaining a technology adapted to the target group is represented by the analysis of the patients’needs and requirements, and also the follow-up of the acceptability of the technology with the testing of the user's satisfaction throughout the development of the technology.
this methodology for the acceptability and usability of this eHealth solution or for a new one can be easily transferred and adopted in any other region.
vINCI app is developed in several languages (Romanian, Greek, Italian, English and Slovenian. Adaptation to another language can be done with minimal effort and without technological changes.