[2021] Postgraduate programmes hosted by the University of Edinburgh's Advanced Care Research Centre (ACRC) and School of Informatics take an interdisciplinary approach to improving later life healthcare. Director of the School of Informatics’ Artificial Intelligence and its Applications Institute Jacques Fleuriot is an Academic Lead at the University’s new Advanced Care Research Centre, and takes the lead on research into new care technologies for people in later life. Jacques is joined on the project by Informatics colleagues including Jane Hillston, Petros Papapanagiotou, Subramanian Ramamoorthy, Bob Fisher and Sohan Seth. Working with PhD researchers, our academics will develop practical, care-driven technologies that are fit for people in later life, addressing challenges of frailty, multi-morbidity and cognitive impairment. The project, entitled new technologies of care, aims to create a community of multi-disciplinary academics, people in later life and their families, health and social care professionals, and relevant businesses in order to design and deliver insight-driven products and services that support independent living and enhance the well-being of people in later life. The team will explore and develop Internet of Things (IoT) platforms that can produce accurate data about all aspects of later life that may impact upon care, from instant events such as falls to the short-term activities of daily living and long-term activities such as hobbies or exercise. By creating a digital platform that collects comprehensive, accurate data researchers will be able to extract predictive information and patterns of behaviour, which could then be used as a basis for preventative actions and effective interventions. The process puts the focus on the individual, creating more personalised care that will better support the needs and desires of the person in later life. Interdisciplinary research that will transform later life ACRC takes an interdisciplinary approach to improving care for people in later life, bringing together knowledge from across the University of Edinburgh as well as Newcastle University and University College London. Researchers in social and political science, engineering, health sciences and informatics will work together to deliver a system of high-quality, personalised and affordable care that puts the person in later life at its heart. School of Informatics researchers are part of the ACRC in response to the Centre's aim of transforming care in later life through personalised care. Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming part of everyday life and healthcare should be no exception - embedding data science, AI, assistive technologies and robotics in systems of health and social care is pivotal to responding to the individual wishes and needs of people in later life. Jacques and his team's work at the intersection of AI and healthcare will have direct impact of the future of care in later life, a pressing priority already threatening the viability of our health- and social-care systems. Advanced Care Research Centre at the University of Edinburgh The Advanced Care Research Centre at the University of Edinburgh is a new £20m interdisciplinary research collaboration aiming to transform later life with person centred integrated care. Its vision is to develop high‐quality, data‐driven, personalised and affordable care that supports the independence, dignity and quality‐of‐life of people in later life living in their own homes and in supported care environments. The vision of the ACRC is to play a vital role in addressing the Grand Challenge of ageing by transformational research that will support the functional ability of people in later life so they can contribute to their own welfare for longer. With fresh and diverse thinking across interdisciplinary perspectives our academy students will work to creatively embed deep understanding, data science, artificial intelligence, assistive technologies and robotics into systems of health and social care supporting the independence, dignity and quality-of-life of people living in their own homes and in supported care environments. The ACRC Academy will equip future leaders to drive society’s response to the challenges of later life care provision; a problem which is growing in scale, complexity and urgency. Our alumni will become leaders in across a diverse range of pioneering and influential roles in the public, private and third sectors. Watch this video to find out more about the work of the Advanced Care Research Centre Academy. Related links Advanced Care Research Centre at the University of Edinburgh PhD studentships with the Advanced Care Research Centre (applications closed) Jacques Fleuriot's personal page This article was published on 2024-03-18
