There
are many useful sites and projects within the UK and around
the world that contribute to our understanding
of how technology can be used appropriately and extend our
knowledge of the potential correct use of systems. Below are
some of the project sites and people that I access regularly
for information and colleagues with whom I have worked in
the past. I hope you find them useful. These links will
undoubtedly keep spiraling our of control like the original
links page did, but I hope you find them useful.
The Telecare Blog - a good place to discuss Telecare issues and rant about things.
TelecareAware is a truely Great
Site! Telecare Aware is a free information service run by Steve Hards to help
keep you up-to-date in what is happening in telehealth and
telecare around the world. Lots of useful stories infomration and links here.
FAST: Foundation for Assistive Technology (FAST) works with the Assistive Technology (AT) community to promote useful research and development for disabled and older people. This is one of the best sites in the UK, truly excellent in relation to AT. The website offers information on AT research projects, organisations, jobs, publications, courses and events within the UK . FAST produce an Annual Parliamentary report of current AT research. FAST also acts as the secretariat for the AT Forum. It is worth joining the email list as the monthly newsletter is a must visit.
AT and dementia is an excellent website which aims to provide
user-friendly information about assistive
technology for people with dementia. The site includes
a product
database of assistive technology devices, and information
on many of the issues that relate to obtaining
and using assistive technology with people with dementia.
Living Made easy is the Disable Living Foundation's Telecare website. A very useful place to search for products and services. This is also a useful place to share personal experiecnes of telecare and to just add you comment on all things telecare. It is Sponsored by Tunstall but does include most other manufacturers in the database.
The Advanced Care Technology (ACT) programme aims to unite business, users, academic and healthcare experts in Assistive Technology (AT) and Telecare (T). ACT have some very good pages on telecare products with clear and understandable information.
SAPHE: Safe and Aware Pervasive Healthcare Environments is a project considering the need for a new generation of pervasive healthcare and lifestyle monitoring systems to allow early detection of deteriorating health by identifying behaviour, physiological/metabolic changes over time. By combining intelligent ambient and wearable sensing, SAPHE will seek breakthroughs in a number of technological fronts and future pervasive healthcare provision.
DIRC: This site looks at how systems in a broad sense can be made
useable and safe. There is a work package specifically looking
at AT and the home (PA7). Papers are also available for
download from here.
The IMIA’s goals and objectives
include:
the promotion of informatics in health care and biomedical research
the advancement of international cooperation
the stimulation of research, development and education
the dissemination and exchange of information
Inherent in this mission is to bring together, from a global perspective, scientists, researchers, vendors, consultants and suppliers in an environment of cooperation and sharing. The international membership network of National Member Societies, IMIA Regions, Corporate and Academic Institutional Members, and our Working and Special Interest Groups that constitute the "IMIA family" is uniquely positioned to achieve these goals.
Make sure you check out the working group "Smart
Homes and Ambient Assisted Living"
An IMIA Working Group.
Project Noah: (National Outlook for Automation in the Home)
This project looks at technology
and computing in the home. There are a lot of useful articles
here.
The Center for Universal Design: Producers
of some of the main thinking behind Universal Design and
designing for disabled people.
Massachusetts
Institute of Technology: continues to be
one of the major players in the field of science and technology.
Their site is extensive but worth spending some time on.
The Palo Alto Research
Center (PARC): a subsidiary of Xerox Corporation,
conducts pioneering interdisciplinary research in physical,
computational, and social sciences. PARC is a good source
of regular reading material as well as the place for innovation.
Abledata: Abledata is the resource to start any search
for AT devices or design ideas. By far the most comprehensive
site on the web at this time.
The Aware
Home: a project by Georgia Tech looking at a responsive
set of home technologies.
House_n: This site looks at the future of house design, ubiquitous
computing and home automation. They are doing some really
interesting work here.
The
Adaptive House Project: A project looking at a home programming itself. Interesting stuff.
User Centred Design: Loughborough Universitiy's site is a critical site for anyone wishing to develop appropriate designs than meet need. The Computing department are currently investigating smart homes.
Innovation
Studies Centre: At Imperial College, London. This is the home page for Professor David Gann, Dick Curry, Professor James Barlow and Tim Venables who are now working on telecare and "Smart Homes" from here instead of SPRU.
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
In order to build on the current position and to further enhance the ability of technology to support a wider range of individuals, an innovative programme is being pursued which brings together researchers in hospitals and universities with industry to develop new user-friendly technologies and technology supported services while building an evidence base for their use.
Home Telecaring Sevices: HTSI provide targeted information for you on home telehealthcare and telecare tools. Healthcare organizations, health planners, caregivers and everyone else focusing on extending health services to today’s home care and hospice patients can rely on us for timely information on home telehealth and telecare.
TIE: The Telemedicine Information Exchange and excellent resource.
TEIS - UK Telemedicine and E-health Information Service: The objectives of TEIS are to bring together those working in the field of telemedicine, telecare and ehealth; to encourage them to share information and experience; and to provide an information resource on telemedicine activity in the UK.
The Disabled Living
Foundation provides free, impartial advice
about all types of disability product and disabled equipment
for older and disabled people, their carers and families. From
stairlifts to walk-in baths, jar openers to tap turners, bath
seats to walking sticks, wheelchairs to scooters, hoists to beds,
the DLF can help you find disabled equipment solutions that enable
you to stay active and independent. The DLF also have a telecare demonstration area which is very useful. The DLF also has an extensive product database.
ABLEDATA provides objective information about assistive technology products and rehabilitation equipment available from domestic and international sources. Although ABLEDATA does not sell any products, we can help you locate the companies that do.
The Helen Hamlyn Research
Centre: This site from the Royal College of Art looks at different aspects of Inclusive Design. There are many links worth looking at such as I~design and Design Age. The site is useful for providing new ideas and providing innovative solutions.
Ricability is an independent research charity. They carry out research with and among disabled and older people. They are independent of manufacturers, government and local agencies, so they are free to tell you what our research finds without fear or favour.
EQUATOR: This site looks at ubiquitous computing and has done a lot of work on the home. The site contains a number of online papers on ubiquitous computing and give the reader a good overview of potential things to come in the area of technology.
SOME
USEFUL SITES FOR TECHNOLOGY AND TELECARE DESIGNERS AND USERS:
Tynetec: Suppliers
and manufacturers of a call and telecare systems as well as good
components for assistive environments. Tynetec is an innovative company with over 25 years experience in the design and manufacture of microprocessor based communication, control and security systems.
Chubb Community Care systems:
Chubb Community Care, one of the UK’s leading suppliers
of telecare equipment and services that support older and
vulnerable people, has today announced the acquisition
of Attendo Systems Limited . Initial Attendo is one of the UK’s leading manufacturer, supplier and installer of innovative products and services designed to promote independence and enhance quality of life for older, vulnerable and disabled people.
Supra UK Limited was established in 1995 to solve the growing logistical and financial implications associated with key management and access control.
Supra provide solutions to both consumer and commercial business as well as into 86% of Local Authorities, Social Services, NHS, Housing and Home Health Care departments saving an estimated 1.6 Billion pounds annually.
DH Care Networks Telecare LIN The Telecare LIN is the national network supporting local service redesign through the application of telecare and telehealth to aid the delivery of housing, health, social care and support services for older and vulnerable people.
The Telecare Services Association (TSA) TSA aims to promote and support the telecare industry and highlight the benefits of telecare for service commissioners, service users and their friends, family and carers. TSA is a not-for-profit, membership based organisation wholly owned by its members.TSA has almost 300 members, primarily from Local Authorities, Registered Social Landlords and private sector suppliers. TSA members give support to the majority of the 1.5 million service users who benefit from telecare in the UK.
CSED (Care Service Efficiency Delivery) is the Department of Health's transformations arm with its very own AT page worth a look. Assistive Technology is a broad definition for any product or service designed to enable independence for disabled or older people, including Telecare and Telehealth. CSED has focussed on the way that councils use these technologies to maximise the benefits to people and to social care budgets. Whilst its standalone use is effective, it has even greater impact when used as part of a integrated care and support planning process, alongside some of the other initiatives highlighted by CSED such as Support Related Housing, Crisis Response, Re-ablement and Transforming Community Equipment.
Rehabtool: A great site looking at different assistive
technologies to enable disabled people.
HomeToys: The site that is a fountain of knowledge in the area of
home automation with a useful articles section that should be looked through A good starting point for all investigations
into technology and the home.
The Official
Bluetooth Website: The Bluetooth site
offering the latest information on this exciting development
which allows RF capabilities into the home reliably.
Goldshield
Electronic Security Limited: One of the many companies
I work with who provide excellent systems from Tyntec, Scantronics etc.
These are the people to get good down to earth advice from. With
Goldshield I have designed systems that are basic care systems
that I can tag other devices on to to add to the functionality
of the system. The systems designed with Goldshield have the
capability to be easily modified and extensible. Goldshield Electronic
Security Limited specialise in the design, installation and maintenance
of a range of electronic security, surveillance equipment, but
most importantly they assist in the design and installation of
systems that meet people's needs and aspirations.
Possum Controls: Suppliers of Possum equipment as well as Cambridge and Gewa augmentative and assistive devices. From Environmental Control and Alternative and Augmentative Communication to comprehensive Service Support, PossAbility Services provide integrated solutions for the Possum Controls, Gewa UK and Possum AAC ranges as well as third party products such as door, curtain and window openers.
SRS Technology: SRS Technology designs and manufactures a range of assistive technology products including the SRS Intellec and SRS Lite personal environmental control systems. These systems enable anyone to have control over their environment, regardless of disability. A wide range of appliances can be operated remotely using the SRS Intellec and SRS Lite, including TVs, Videos, Phones, Computers, Curtains, Lights, Doors and Windows. Any movement, from the control of a wheelchair joystick, to an eyeblink, can be harnessed to allow the environment to be controlled. SRS are partners with Leonard Cheshire and currently working with Tunstall on telecare systems. SRS now partner with Tunstall to provide telecare solutions. See their own page here. SRS have now been taken over by Possum (see above)
Specialist Alarm Services (SAS): Suppliers of RF
and busline systems that can support carers. The Red Alert
system I have used in many residences for people with autistic
spectrum impairments.
Gardtec Ltd: suppliers and manufacturers of alarm systems, key pads and security products.
PAC International: Leading integrated access control solutions
Scantronics: Cooper Minerver's security systems company supplying most security equipment.
ARK
Housing: Social Housing providers.
The Health and Social Care Change Agent Team (CAT): CAT was set up in 2002 to help health and social care communities tackle the problem of patients staying in hospitals longer than necessary (delayed transfers of care). Since then their remit has grown, and we now provide advice and support on a wide range of issues that affect the care of older people.
PASA: The NHS purchasing and supply agency Telecare portal. Here the telecare PASA catalogue can be accessed as long as you are registered.
Other possibly useful community alarm and telecare sites include:
Cirrus
Communication Systems
Jontek
Just
Checking
Alertacall
A&D
BT
Eventmine
The following are the fifteen providers that the national framework for telecare suggest are approved providers:
SOME USEFUL HOME PAGES:
Ian Sommerville
Gregory Abowd
Beth
Mynatt
Beki Grinter
Paul Dourish
Alan Dix
also check out the Telecare Blog for more suggestions
