Director Professor Lynne Baillie and her team of academics run the Interactive & Trustworthy Technologies department at Glasgow Caledonian University.  They are constantly looking for new ways to improve the lives of the individuals through various technological designs that could support independent living for elderly people in the future.

After a recent visit to Glasgow Caledonian University, I was introduced to three exciting designs that could revolutionise independent living for the elderly.  It is the hope of the designers that the technology that they are developing will have such an impact as to have a lasting effect on the direction of future Health and Social Care.

Firstly the ‘Exergame Motions Sensor’ designed by Stephen Uzar who is a student at the University.  He researches fun exercise games for the elderly to encourage rehabilitation among people injured by falls.  Currently he is developing a prototype that has points in common with the Wii console.  It consists of wireless sensors connected to the leg of a person along with a motion capture feature. The device will focus on working the leg muscles to improve balance or movement and give an appropriate amount of exercise that wouldn't be possible if mobility was an issue. Instead of using the hand as in the Wii, this device will use the leg muscles (connected to sensors) which will control the gameplay. Imagine playing Sonic the Hedgehog with your leg? For those people who can't physically exercise, it could be a perfect alternative to achieve a level of fitness along with having fun.

Testing of this technology has been received positively with people saying they would consider buying this in stores. Stephen Uzur said he was enjoying his work designing this as he felt using his talent to create a device that was not only playful but useful was very rewarding.

Shortly after, we heard from Dr Sinan Sinanovic who is a Lecturer at the University. Dr Sinanovic has been working on a rather intriguing ‘LED Indoor Tracking System’ to assist in the safety of dementia sufferers. It works by tracking the precise location of the person who may be prone to wandering off and putting themselves in danger. The idea is for the person with dementia to wear a receiver that will accurately pinpoint their location onto a screen in the form of a flashing red light. This may have the ability to replace internet cameras currently being used in some homes, which can breach the basic privacy of an individual.

Dr Sinanovic’s design has a clear intention, to keep the person living independently for as long as possible. The device, if successful, could have a place in the market due to the large number of people in the UK who have dementia. Statistics from Alzheimer Society indicates as many as 80% of people in care homes in the UK have some form of dementia.

And finally, after lots of interesting conversation around the above two designs, we were introduced to the ‘Insole Device’ which was my initial motive for the visit to Glasgow Caledonian University.  This particular technology designed by Prof. Lynne Baillie and Dr Philip Smit, a Biomedical Engineer.

The specialised insole was created to reduce the risk of falls. This is done by various sensor plates implanted onto the sole. The data will be recorded into a memory system on the insole and then transferred wirelessly for analysis. The insole could potentially help people re-adjust their walking patterns and regain self-confidence. The Insole device will aim to be available for professional use by GP’s and Health Care workers. Prof. Lynne Baillie is hoping the specialized footwear market will be interested in this design as she feels it could have an impact on health care for the Elderly.

I felt privileged to be given the opportunity to see first-hand what Professor Lynne Baillie and her dedicated team were designing which could help revolutionise Care of the Elderly in the future and lead to a more independent society globally.

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