CaMeLi

A coherent user-centric technological solution will be provided based on an innovative practice-oriented Virtual Partner (ViP) care model that considers established behaviour communication patterns/ways of an older person with a human partner when carrying out daily activities at home. The ViP model will be combined with state of the art human computer interaction (emotion recognition, intelligent dialogue) and user behaviour analysis technologies. Specifically, the interaction with the user will be an innovative adaptive multi-modal Avatar interface integrated and operating on a scalable distributed network of interconnected tablet devices, with integrated video cameras, installed on selected wall locations in the home of the user. The avatar will enable seamlessly continuous detection (via video) and analysis of the elderly behaviour in the totality of his home, as well as identification of his emotional state, based on voice intonation and facial expressions and taking into account the related context of the user’s daily activity occurrences. In addition, the system provides a direct communication channel to the care community consisting of formal and informal carers that can assist older persons to carry out daily activities at home. The use of an avatar, instead of a human, has the major advantage that it is less threatening for the privacy and the users do not have the feeling that they are constantly under surveillance by a human (since they can turn it off at any time). Two pilots, in the Netherlands and Switzerland representing the two different use cases, will be carried out. Up to 200 elderly people and their caregivers will use CaMeLi over a six month period.