By Guy Kasier / Published on Mon, 2009-12-14 14:23
The technical aids to enable elderly people to live at home for longer do not differ so much from those that can be used to help dementia sufferers and their home carers in the home situation. The difference lies primarily with the videophone (although this could also improve social contact for non-dementia sufferers) and the GPS wandering detection techniques. In a home situation with a dementia sufferer, the emphasis is primarily on offering support to the carer, who may or may not live in the home.
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By Guy Kasier / Published on Wed, 2009-07-15 09:42
A WelHops study some years ago assessed the needs of the elderly regarding the buildings and surroundings in which they wish to live. Still as relevant today as it was when it was carried out, this study ran from May 2005 to September 2007 as part of a European INTERREG IIIC project. Taking part were partners from Italy, Sweden, the UK, Spain, and Hungary.
The project objectives were to: -
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By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Wed, 2009-05-13 05:30
Trade-off between environment and health
When discussing sustainable building services (HVAC, electricity, and water), the main factors that are usually considered are environmental impact, financial cost, comfort, and sometimes safety. Although carbon emission reduction is rightfully dominating the debate nowadays, we must not forget that health can be an important fifth factor when designing sustainable building services. This is made abundantly clear in the PhD thesis 'Healthy Building Services for the 21st Century' of Francesco Franchimon at the Technical University of Eindhoven.
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By Guy Kasier / Published on Tue, 2008-04-29 10:18
Safety and security are ever more at the forefront of people’s minds as shown by many studies into the additional support techniques needed for the elderly who wish to be independent and continue living at home for longer. This is not so much about protection against burglary, but rather protecting the person himself, reflecting the fact that, when the elderly live at home alone, a major concern is that they will not be able to contact anyone were they to get ill, fall or for whatever reason suddenly to need help.
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Home of the Future
By Benoit Dome / Published on Thu, 2008-04-24 02:31
For actors in the building construction market, interested in the new possibilities of electrical technologies for smart living and ageing.
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By Isabelle Heriakian / Published on Tue, 2008-01-29 16:47
The following article is the result of a discussion with Claude Ricaud and provides an overview of Homes project. The article is published as an eBook so you can scroll the different pages using the titles bellow.
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By Guy Kasier / Published on Mon, 2008-01-14 12:04
As national demographics see an ever increasing growth in the older age groups, so there is a significant demand for homes that cater to this market and to people who, for whatever reason, require some form of assisted living in their home to enable them to stay there rather than being cared for away from home – privately or by the state.
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By Hans De Keulenaer / Published on Fri, 2007-11-09 18:18
By Guy Kasier, E&D Systems
As the options grow for homes to become increasingly automated, throughout them the innovative use of traditional electrical installations is ever more apparent. All too frequently however, such innovations are restricted to appliances and equipment that are mainly suited for larger, luxury dwellings, with many of the manufacturers of these products only targetting this quite narrow top-end of the market.
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By Hans Nilsson / Published on Wed, 2007-09-05 07:00
Let us remind ourselves again of the words of the Stern Review; those that said the business of the future will take climate change into account, to avoid the risks of feeding it further, but even more, to profit from it by investing in better technologies. A strong business message to the entrepreneurial minds, it seems, but does it show in investment behaviour from the institutional investors like your pension fund? Not really. Rather the opposite, in fact, says a UK study.
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By Hans De Keulenaer / Published on Mon, 2007-01-15 11:33
The electrical contractor as the centre of competence
As systems such as electricity, ICT, and heating become more integrated, proper coordination between the different players in the building market is essential. Installers are in fact on-site experts and can assume an important role. As system integrators, they are not only responsible for installation, but they can also fulfil an advisory function. Yet many of the technologies are relatively new, unfamiliar to many installers, and will require substantial training.
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By Diedert Debusscher / Published on Tue, 2006-12-12 01:00
TV with data-over-mains modules soon on the market
According to Intellon, a developer of power line networking technology, televisions and other consumer-electronics equipment will soon be network-enabled using data-over-mains modules. This breakthrough in power line communications technology can facilitate the popularisation of smart ageing applications for elderly people.
Today, Smart Ageing technologies such as Telecare often require a broadband connection to the Internet, but this technical requirement can often cause elderly people living in old, un-adapted houses to miss out on these new developments. Power line communications (or data-over-mains) can open interesting new perspectives here.
High-speed Internet in every home
Power Line Communications (PLC) enables broadband Internet access via the electricity network. Energy suppliers are keen on this technology, because it enables them to distribute the Internet over their own existing networks to virtually every home, even in rural areas. In-house PLC makes high-speed Internet available through every electrical outlet in the house. No additional wiring is required, although it might be necessary to install a type of repeater if the power needs to travel an appreciable distance.
Home Plug AV network protocol
In recent years, development of several PLC protocols has heightened interest in this technology. The latest Home Plug AV network protocol from the HomePlug Powerline Alliance allows for data transmission rates of up to 200 Mbit/sec. That's enough for high-definition TV and video, streaming audio and broadband multimedia, without the need for separate HDMI sockets and cables. This way, plugging a TV set into the power socket automatically connects the TV to the cable box, the DVD player, the Digital Video Recorder, and the Internet.
Challenges to overcome
However, there are concerns about using this medium, since the standard power line was designed to transmit power at only 50-60 Hz. In addition, the power line is one of the most electronically contaminated environments, and the signal attenuation at the frequencies of interest is fairly high. Hair driers, microwave ovens, and mobile phone adaptors plugged into the mains can impact data throughput - making it more challenging to achieve dependable results.
According to Intellon, the latest generation Home Plug implementations are less susceptible to line noise. They are also 'cleaner' than earlier ones, reducing the risk of radio frequency (RF) interference from radio amateurs, aircraft and the police.
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By Hans De Keulenaer / Published on Sat, 2006-12-02 01:00
Future benefits to the EU and its health care services
A new report commissioned by Leonardo ENERGY gives a clear overview of the market potential for home care related ICT applications in Europe. Interesting is that the study follows three different yet complementary approaches to the subject:
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