With longer life expectancy and the immeasurable progress made in medicine, whether in the prevention or treatment of certain diseases, ageing in good health is no longer a dream. Today, it is even a particularly prised area of R&D.
All the more so as the elderly require specific and adapted focus, reinforced individual follow-up (by medical devices or not) and adapted societal organisations.
This is why, in the framework of the European initiative Eureka, the world’s largest R&D and innovation funding network, a call for projects is underway for the development of digital health tools and intelligent devices to promote such healthy ageing.
Eureka, closing of the call on 5 August…
Luxembourg is participating in this call for projects as a funding country. Interested companies are invited to submit proposals
for applied research and innovation projects in various fields such as systems for connecting robots to medical imaging systems to simplify surgical procedures; software as medical (or diagnostic) devices incorporating artificial intelligence; those enabling better diagnosis or therapy; digital health services and intelligent drug distribution or solutions integrating big data to create precision healthcare offerings that promote preventive interventions before the symptoms of the disease appear… This list is obviously not exhaustive.
“Luxembourg companies interested in participating in this call need to form a consortium with at least two independent partners from two other participating countries”, says Alexander Link, Advisor – Corporate R&D and Innovation Support at Luxinnovation, the national contact point and national coordinator for European projects.
This Eureka call for projects closes on 5 August. “We are working closely with the Ministry of the Economy to identify possible partnerships and the best existing solutions, in order to identify the type of support and funding to which companies are entitled. We accompany all these projects, ensuring that they can result in a positive economic impact for companies,” Link explains.
… and that of AAL extended to 24 August
Eureka doesn’t have a monopoly in this area. The European Active and Assisted Living (AAL) programme also funds projects in partnership with industry in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve the quality of life of older people, while strengthening the industrial base in Europe through the use of ICT.
Unlike Eureka projects, which are mainly geared towards technological developments, AAL projects focus more on adapting solutions to user needs.
Last February the AAL 2020 call was launched on the theme “Healthy ageing through digital solutions“. Initially scheduled for 22 May, the deadline for submitting applications was extended to August 24th, due to the Covid-19 crisis.. Moreover, technological responses to this crisis have also been included in the scope of the call.
“This AAL call requires at least three independent partners from three participating countries, including an SME and an end-user organisation,” says Alexander Link. “In addition, the National Research Fund finances public research organisations in the framework of the AAL call”.
Any company interested in obtaining financial support through the Eureka initiative or the AAL programme in order to engage in a collaborative approach and international partnerships is invited to contact Alexander Link at Luxinnovation.