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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
More Quality of Life with High-Tech
"Partnership of the Generations" - this was the motto of the eighth visit by German President Horst Köhler in Rhineland-Palatinate on 7 November. In Kaiserslautern, the head of state got an impression of the high-tech competence of the Western Palatine region and paid a visit to the Assisted Living Laboratory at the Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESE. Clearly taken with the new possibilities offered by innovative information technology for more quality of life for senior citizens, Köhler used the chance to talk with the institute's scientists.
The Assisted Living Laboratory has only been in operation officially since the year 2006, but has made rapid progress during that brief time. The engineers of Fraunhofer IESE use it to develop and test novel technologies for "intelligent" living environments, which will offer optimal daily-life support to elderly people or people in need of assistance. In a presentation, President Köhler watched a realistic scenario and showed an open mind towards these systems, which provide unobtrusive assistance if needed and thus enable an independent life in people's own homes even in older age.
The President was especially impressed by the fact that humans with their individual needs are the focus of state-of-the-art information technology research. Professor Dieter Rombach, Executive Director of Fraunhofer IESE, went even further and called this application of information and communication technology a "human science, which clearly and directly puts itself at the service of people needing help and support." In doing so, "technical equipment is not intended at all to replace conventional care methods, but shall supplement these with additional possibilities", stated the institute's director.
In the area of IT-supported assisted living systems, Fraunhofer IESE is collaborating closely with medical professionals and professional caregivers. These include the Westpfalz-Klinikum hospital and the Integrated Emergency Medical Dispatch Office Kaiserslautern. Furthermore, in the context of the research focus on Ambient Intelligence, the institute is tied into an international research consortium together with the University of Kaiserslautern, which results in optimal synergy effects for future work.
Currently, the main attention of the Fraunhofer IESE experts is focused on individualizing assisted living systems. In the future, these shall adapt even better to different users. Intensive cooperation with patients and senior citizens at every step of the development ensures that the research and development work has the highest possible practical relevance.
A study performed by the federal government allows the conclusion that the consequences of demographic development might have a stronger impact in Germany than in other western countries. The special importance of developing functional and empirically proven systems for the care and support of elderly people, respectively people in need of assistance, was emphasized once again by the visit of President Köhler at Fraunhofer IESE.
Contact:
Dr. rer. nat. Frank Seelisch
Phone +49 (631) 6800 1002
Fax +49 631 6800-1099
frank.seelisch@iese.fraunhofer.de
Fraunhofer-Institut für Experimentelles Software Engineering IESE
Fraunhofer-Platz 1
67663 Kaiserslautern
Fraunhofer-Institute for Experimental Software Engineering
Fraunhofer IESE is one of the worldwide leading research institutes in the area of software and systems development. A major portion of the products offered by our collaboration partners is defined by software. These products range from automotive and transportation systems to telecommunication and telematics equipment, from information systems and medical devices to software systems for the public sector. Our solutions allow flexible scaling. This makes us a competent technology partner for organizations of any size - from small companies to major corporations.
Under the leadership of Prof. Dieter Rombach and Prof. Peter Liggesmeyer, the past decade has seen us making major contributions to strengthening the emerging IT location Kaiserslautern.
In the Fraunhofer Information and Communication Technology Group, we are cooperating with other Fraunhofer institutes on developing trend-setting key technologies for the future.
Fraunhofer IESE is one of 56 institutes of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Together we have a major impact on shaping applied research in Europe and contribute to Germany's competitiveness in international markets.
http://www.iese.fraunhofer.de - Homepage of Fraunhofer IESE
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