All developed countries have become increasingly focused on finding new ways to reduce the burden of the elderly boom that is expected in the future. Assisted living technology is now a new industry trend. The U.K. has deployed cutting-edge research capabilities in assisted living technology and is looking for opportunities to collaborate with Taiwanese ICT companies who have excellent expertise in developing this vital, emerging field of technology.
To help Taiwanese companies know more about the United Kingdom’s development and innovation in assisted living technology, the British Trade & Cultural Office today (25th) held the “Trends in Assisted Living Technology: Improving people's lives through technology ” seminar in Taipei. Speakers including Mr. Dave Gorshkov, ICT Champion from the UK Trade and Investment, Professor Alan Winfield from Bristol Robotics Laboratory of University of the West of England, Mr. Chris Williams from UK Display & Lighting KTN and Dr. Esther Rodriguez-Villegas from the Imperial College of London introduced to local audience the R&D achievements and various applications of assisted living technology in the U.K.
“Assisted living technology represents a critical and exciting growth area for the ICT industry and global players today have an excellent opportunity to accelerate development in this field by tapping each other’s capabilities,” said Michael Reilly, Director of the British Trade & Cultural Office. “There is no question that Taiwan is playing a significant role in the global ICT industry today. Taiwanese ICT companies, with sophisticated manufacturing techniques, are particularly well-positioned to capture the vast opportunities of assisted living technology by partnering with the U.K. The field could be a major driver of growth for Taiwan’s ICT industry at a time when it is seeking to upgrade and transform. In order to pursue long-term global competitiveness, Taiwanese companies can leverage the U.K.’s long-standing leadership in terms of the investment for ICT research and development, and its strategic location as a hub for R&D centers for many international ICT companies.”
The U.K. ranks No.8 globally in terms of comprehensive readiness for ICT industry development, according to the 2008 e-readiness rankings by EIU（Economist Intelligence Unit. This edge is fuelled partly by the extensive usage of ICT applications across the nation, including for example, broadband internet penetration in U.K families is predicted to reach 74% by 2012, according to a market survey company Gartner. Mr. Dave Gorshkov from UK Trade and Investment said, “High broadband and wireless internet penetration rate, and the growth of mobile computing and audio/video applications are the main drivers for the rapid growth of remote surveillance, analysis and alert service. The UK’s R&D advantage in the area of ICT technology places it ahead of other countries in the field of assisted living applications and development.”
One of the best examples of the UK’s R&D results in assisted living technology is the innovation of medical electronic devices. Dr. Esther Rodriguez-Villegas from the Imperial College of London shared with the audience how the traditional respiration monitoring device could be improved with ICT technology to significantly lower the risk of sleep apnea syndrome by designing a light-weight, wireless and low-power wearable respiration monitoring device that can directly monitor the sound of respiration and activate alert mechanism remotely once it detects abnormality. “The ICT innovation enables existing medical devices to fulfill the need of remote care and help patients with chronic diseases live a more convenient life,” said Dr. Esther Rodriguez-Villegas.
In addition to upgrading existing technology, the UK is also a place of strategic importance for intelligent robotics development. Professor Alan Winfield from Bristol Robotics Laboratory of University of the West of England points out that “mobile intelligent robots will be a great tool to provide public service such as emergency rescue, military scout or even space exploration. The research of these robots will bring us to infinity and beyond and that’s exactly the purpose of assisted living technology.”
UK Trade & Investment, www.ukinvest.gov.uk.
