KSERA (Knowledgeable SErvice Robots for Aging) is a small or medium scale focused research project in the EU's Seventh Framework Programme, Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) and objective ICT-2009.7.1. ICT & Aging: service robotics for aging well.The KSERA project started on 1 February 2010 and will run for three years finishing 31 January 2013. The KSERA project brings together seven partners from five different countries.The main aim is to develop a Socially Assistive Robot (SAR) that helps older persons, especially those with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), with their daily activities and care needs and provides the means for effective self-management of their disease.
By 2050 37% of the EU population will be over 60 years of age and it is expected that there will be fewer than two persons of working age per older person of 65 or older. This will lead to both an increasing demand for care and a shortage of care?givers.
Older persons need support due to their declining capabilities but also to age?related illnesses such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). COPD typically manifests itself at a later age (from 40 years on). According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) COPD will be the third major cause of death in 2030.
The condition of those affected by COPD depends on their own physical condition but also on environmental pollution such as dust in the air, excessive humidity, or low air temperature which can cause breathing problems. Assistive technology for monitoring their physical conditions and environmental quality can warn, advise and support them in hazardous situations enabling improved self?management and decreased hospitalization.
Intelligent home environments are one of the key facets to counterbalance the reduced number of caretakers and increase the QoL of older persons. In the KSERA project the aim is to seamlessly integrate smart home technology with socially assistive robots.
The main research question addressed in this project is how to obtain a successful, effective interaction between the human and the mobile robot to guarantee acceptance and adoption of service robotics technology and offer added value of the ubiquitous monitoring services.