13-05-2010, 11:52 AM
Presented By:
U. Cort´es and A. Mart´inez-Velasco and C. Barru´e and E. X. Mart´in
Technical University of Catalonia
F. Campana
Centro Assistenza Domiciliare Azienda Sanitaria Locale RM B
R. Annicchiarico and C. Caltagirone
Fondazione Santa Lucia
Abstract
The SHARE-it architecture is designed to inform and assist the user and his/her caregivers through monitoring and mobility help. Thus, we plan to contribute to the development of the next generation of assistive devices for older persons or people with disabilities so that they can be self-dependent as long as possible. In this paper we focus on the development of an intelligent pedestrian mobility aid that we call i-Walker. i-Walker is a robotically augmented rollator to reduce fall risk and confusion, and to increase rollator convenience and enjoyment. SHARE-it provides an Agent-based Intelligent Decision Support System to support elders with cognitive and/or motorial problems. The main goal of the SHARE-it (SHAREit 2007), an EU FP6 funded project, is to contribute to the development of the next generation of intelligent and semi-autonomous assistive devices for older persons and people with disabilities (both cognitive and/or motor) so that they can be selfdependent enough to autonomously live in the community, staying at home as long as possible with a maximum safety and comfort; this possibility would increase their quality of life, and, at the same time, delay their institutionalization. At least in part, how well these elders live and their abilities to maintain independent life styles will depend on their health and the degree to which they have remained totally able or frail or disabled. When we talk on frailty and disability we refer to the most recent definition, in particular frailty is described as: A state of increased vulnerability to stressors that results from decreased physiological reserves and multi-system dysregulation, limited capacity to maintain homeostasis and to respond to internal and external stresses. Frailty is an aggregate expression of risk resulting from age- or disease-associated physiologic accumulation of subthreshold decrements affecting multiple physiologic systems resulting in adverse health outcomes . Disability is defined as the difficulty or dependency in carrying out activities necessary for independent living, including roles, tasks needed for self-care and household chores, and other activities important for a persons quality of life
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http://www.aaaiPapers/Symposia/Fall/2008...02-006.pdf