FARSEEING is a collaborative European Commission funded research project with 10 partners distributed in 5 EU countries. It aims to provide a thematic network focusing on the issue of promoting healthy, independent living for older adults. FARSEEING aims to promote better prediction and prevention of falls and to support older adults with a focus on ICT devices and the unique proactive opportunities they can provide to older adults to support them in their own environment. The work of FARSEEING is practical and consists of a series of work packages which interact to expand research, technological development and knowledge in this area. The FARSEEING website has been designed to share this evolving knowledge with the wider public, research, technology, policy and health and social care communities. It also enables you to share your knowledge and expertise with us. As part of the FARSEEING community you can access links to the latest evidence, you can discuss experiences, share knowledge, ask questions and seek advice on our discussion forums and we will also update you on the research project.
The core work packages within the research project include:
This work package is led by the University of Bologna and involves project reporting as well as overall management of the consortium.
WP2: User perspectives and psychological aspects about ICT technologies for “ageing well”
This work package is led by the University of Manchester and involves reviewing the evidence on the acceptability of technological interventions to monitor and prevent falls and to promote independent living.
WP3: Technological development
This work package is led by the University of Bologna and involves the design and development of technologies, particularly sensors and falls detectors, to record and monitor activity and falls. The aim of WP3 is to develop the FARSEEING architecture that makes it possible to collect, store and process the data related to mobility and falls.
This work package is led by Azienda Sanitaria di Firenze and involves using the data from the InCHIANTI study to develop a predictive model of mobility and risk of falls and to conduct a pilot study aimed at testing the feasibility and validity of using the smartphone technology to improve understanding of mechanisms that lead to falls in older persons, identifying possible new targets for prevention.
WP5: Telemedical service models
This work package is led by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU in Trondheim) and involves the development and testing of a falls management service, together with the assessment of exergames to improve strength and balance, thus reducing the risk os falls.
WP6: Knowledge acquisition, consolidation and generalisation about falls through a meta‐database
This work package is led by the Robert Bosch Krankenhaus research hospital in Stuttgart and involves the development of a meta-database of real-life falls, through information sharing across the globe. The primary outcome of this work package will be a dynamic fall risk model in order to assign an evidence‐based risk profile to each user.
WP7: Designing and testing a complex/self‐adaptive intervention to reduce fall risks
This work package is led by Ecole Politechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) and involves the development and testing of an intervention in several ‘smart homes’ in Italy, where sensors and screens are used to monitor promote activity within the home, building strength and balance, in order to reduce falls and enable independent living. Falls are also detected and recorded.
This work package is led by the University of Manchester and involves the management and promotion of information regarding the FARSEEING project through use of the website, social media, publications, presentations and events.
This work package is led by the Deutsche Sportshochschule in Cologne and involves consideration of how the results of the project are made available in the business, healthcare and enterprise sectors.
Follow this link for our list of partners.
