Long Lasting Memories 2nd news alert

Posted mar, 2011-07-26 11:18 by dimitris

Dear All,

 

Long Lasting Memories (LLM) is a European Union project developing an integrated ICT platform which combines state-of-the-art cognitive exercises with physical activity in the framework of an advanced ambient assisted living environment.
This is the 2nd news alert we have issued, and we hope you will enjoy reading about the progress of the project. In the following paragraphs, we will provide you with information about:
This is the 2nd in a series of 4 updates over the course of our 30 month project. If you do not wish to receive these updates in the future, please reply to this email with the word REMOVE in the subject line.
LLM Project Coordinator 
Panagiotis D. Bamidis, Assist. Professor, 
Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
 
1. The LLM service
LLM is a service that incorporates both physical and cognitive exercise to enhance the health of elderly users. The core element of the LLM service is the Central Management System, CMS, which is implemented as a set of PC-based applications. The CMS offers to the LLM senior end users a common user interface, which enables end user access to the following interoperable components:
- The Independent Living Component (ILC) is based on the eHome system, which is a network of distributed, wirelessly-operating sensors connected to an embedded system (the e-Home central unit). It includes features such as intelligent learning of normal and exceptional patterns of behaviour (dangerous situations or indicators for emerging health problems), and relevant alarms. e-Home is a project funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG).
 
- The Cognitive Training Component (CTC) is designed to support cognitive exercises provided by specialised software. A variety of software can be used for this process; a careful selection and evaluation has been performed by the LLM partnership to identify the appropriate software for testing during the project and for completing customization and localization of this software as needed for the initial deployment and the pilot testing of the LLM system.
 
 
- The Physical Training Component (PTC) is comprised of custom training equipment, geared to meet the specialised needs of the elderly. The only prerequisite for the equipment is that it is able to provide exercise performance output. This output will be forwarded to the central LLM system for monitoring and processing.
- The Central Management System consists of the following HW components:
1. A touch screen PC operating as the local user interface to the senior end user. This is the central access point to the CMS and also to the other subcomponents (ILC, CTC and PTC) for end user communication
2. A controller (PC) that hosts and execute the software of the CMS-server and the other three subcomponents (ILC, CTC, PTC) and acting as an interface to the central LLM DB using SOAP based LLMWS as the communication protocol;
 
2. LLM activities
- The first LLM workshop held in Athens on May 20, 2010. The workshop's objectives were for the promotion of the project to a carefully selected, but diverse audience to build constituencies and raise awareness about the project and to receive feedback about the service and the organisation of the pilot studies.
 
- LLM participated on the 18th and 19th of October 2010 in two different workshops held in Paris held in Paris during Semaine Bleue 2010 (national week dedicated to the retirees and the elderly in France).
 
 
3. LLM trials
Three consecutive rounds of testing are now taking place in 5 EU Member countries (Austria, France, Greece, Spain, and Cyprus) and for the next 15 months. The pilot programme will continue over the next two months, at which time the first round of testing will be evaluated and early results published. In all, the pilot partners of the consortium plan to involve more than 500 individuals in the testing, which is expected to provide significant insights both as to scientific results and real world application of cognitive and physical exercise as a synergistic approach to health in the elderly.
Testing is focused upon elderly volunteers who provide feedback to help improve the solution to meet user expectations. Testing is conducted in accordance with relevant regulations for the protection of the participants; all test protocols utilise good ethical practices and comply with European and national legislation.
Based upon our early results, most of the participants have learned how to use the touch screen computers very easily. Only those participants subject to mild dementia needed a person nearby to help them. As expected, there were a small number of drop outs after initiation, but the rest of the participants seem unswerving and excited to participation in the LLM programme!!
  
 
Testing participants, as well as end users of the service after testing is completed, include:
  • People living at their houses, utilising the LLM monitoring environment and training services ("At Home" installation).
  • People visiting day care centres, utilising a centralised monitoring environment and using the training components as well ("Day care centre" installations).
  • People being hospitalised in clinical centres and hospitals, utilising a centralised monitoring environment, while following the cognitive training and using the physical training component as complementary to their physiotherapy sessions ("Hospital" installations).
    To request further information or to participate in the project trials you may visit the LLM web site and contact the LLM partner in your country.
     
  • Contact
    LLM is coordinated by Panagiotis D. Bamidis, Assist. Prof., Lab of Medical Informatics, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, PO Box 323, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece, tel: +30 2310999310. Please feel free to contact Dr. Bamidis with questions or suggestions: bamidis@med.auth.gr.
    We also welcome you to visit our Linked in group, our Facebook group, our Youtube channel and our Slideshare channel.