The Horizon 2020 EU project "vCare", in which AIT plays a major role, is developing a virtual coach for cardio- and neuro-rehabilitation patients to enable a personalised transition from clinical rehabilitation in hospital back to their home. The coach ensures continuity of care for patients from professional treatment to the home environment with the aim of improving quality of life and increasing the efficiency of medical and social treatments.
One in six people in the European Union has a temporary or chronic condition. Appropriate rehabilitation is particularly important for people in old age, as it helps them to live independently and improves their quality of life. However, rehabilitation often takes months and is often interrupted by the transition from hospital to home - virtual coaches can help these patients to have a personalised rehabilitation that suits their age-related conditions, supports them to keep care pathways and serves risk prevention. The project "vCare" (Virtual Coaching Activities for Rehabilitation in Elderly) addresses two major deficits of the status quo: a participatory design that is oriented towards the needs of the users and the personalisation of care pathways through technology.
Since 2017, vCare has been developing an advanced, avatar-based, virtual coaching system that works with patients to help them adhere to their individual rehabilitation programmes. For this purpose, data from the home environment, health information and regular personal interactions with affected patients are collected and intelligently linked to ensure that patients experience an optimal transition from clinical rehabilitation in hospital back to their homes.
"It is this transition and the first weeks and months that are crucial for effective and sustainable rehabilitation. The virtual avatar-based coaching solution from AIT supports patients in continuing therapy at home in a simple and motivating way and prevents a necessary rehospitalisation," says Johannes Kropf, project manager at the Center for Health & Bioresources.
Since October 2020, the project has entered the critical Living Lab phase, in which all vCare functions are tested in a controlled environment with the active participation of real patients. All vCare clinical sites are heavily affected by the COVID 19 pandemic, but the vCare clinical sites in Italy, Romania and Spain have been able to ensure a safe and adapted environment to conduct the tests as planned. The first reactions, motivation and acceptance of the patients are very promising.
An international interdisciplinary team of researchers, healthcare providers and industry experts is working on the project. The consortium consists of twelve partners from seven European countries. vCare is funded under the Horizon 2020 call "Personalised coaching for well-being and care of people as they age". (SC1-PM15-2017) and is funded by the European Commission with just over €4 million. The project started on 1 September 2017 and will run for 48 months.
Projekthomepage: https://vcare-project.eu/
EU Information: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/769807/de