CORDIS Archive
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IST KA1 Cluster Description
The overriding socio-economic challenge behind this cluster was to improve the quality of life of the individual and, simultaneously, to stimulate and expand the 'assistive' technologies market with new products and services based on increased industrial participation. The long-term vision of 'ambient intelligence' focuses on the particular needs of individuals by providing an easy and natural way of interacting with a myriad of systems and applications in the surrounding environment. Developments in assistive technologies and systems that are easily adaptable, indeed self-adjusting, to the needs of the individual will play an increasing role in the growing opportunities presented in the 'special needs' market. This cluster helped by building a platform for wide-scale information exchange, co-operation and standardisation efforts, which should overcome the prevailing problem of fragmentation in the market.
The projects related to this cluster covered a comprehensive range of assistive technologies, systems, devices and services aimed at a variety of impairments: vision & hearing, motor & physical, language & speech, cognitive & mental - with special attention on age-related impairments. Technologies covered in this cluster included the use of wireless mobile communication, such as BLUETOOTH, haptic technology, predictive typing, advanced sensors and multi-sensorial interfaces, and multi-dimensional barcodes to store and retrieve information.
For related reviews or concertation meetings reports, please visit the corresponding CIRCA projects exchange repository.