Fraunhofer-GesellschaftResearch into Ambient Assisted Living aims primarily to enable the elderly to lead independent lives in their own homes, and to assist people with special needs. Solutions are based on intelligent environments that adapt autonomously, proactively and context-sensitively to the users’ needs and the tasks they wish to perform, helping them to carry out the necessary actions.
The Fraunhofer Network “Ambient Assisted Living” was set up by a group of six Fraunhofer Institutes to market complete solutions in this area. The solutions offered include a variety of functions to improve the user’s comfort at home and work, or to facilitate social care at home and in nursing homes, and the provision of mobile services.
Another focus is that of rehabilitation, preventive healthcare, and solutions to preserve the independence of persons requiring medical care, daily assistance, or help to overcome physical disabilities.
The Network pursues an approach based on a common system platform which permits seamless integration of diverse solutions and accommodates the evolution of ambient intelligence (AmI) technologies such as communications, power supplies, sensors and actuators. This approach results in smart products that are mutually compatible, suitable for mobile applications, and can be integrated in other types of network on an ad-hoc basis.