Summary

A significant proportion of the health demands will be soon satisfied through mobile networks (m-health). This proposal contributes to the definition of health oriented portable personal systems based on the new generations of wireless communication technology, taking advantage of EU predominant position. The proposal will develop four tele-care innovative platforms to cope with a large number of potential client groups and health needs: navigation/positioning personal terminals; programmable terminals to hold well-defined protocols for tele-assistance or the management of emergency situations; data capture mobile personal devices; and multi-modal high dialogue capacity terminals. The proposal optimised the market value of the targeted products by innovative: high usability interfaces; privacy and security tools; high reliability designs; scalability and interoperability to enlarge market segments; and powerful evaluation tool.

The projects will develop portable personal systems for health Tele-care and Tele-consultation based on innovative wireless technologies to configure a secure information exchange media between the personal systems and the health service providers. And to assure service continuity at any time and place. The systems will also include the elements to facilitate a mass-market take-up of divers wireless personal terminals and intranets-based services. Legal and ethical aspects involved are also addressed. Four tele-care platforms will be developed for a large number of client groups and health needs:

1. services to access at any time and any place the right health information;
2. services to manage predictable emergency situations, based on the capture of pertinent information from the user and the environment;
3. services to assess the geographical position to guide persons requiring orientation help; and
4. services of tele-monitoring to assess patient status

HealthMate is a technology innovation project to provide market-oriented wireless solutions to a variety of health problems: care of chronic patients; support of acute patients, including high-risk; and tele-assistance applications. Work starts with the identification of the market: the health services candidate for a wireless network implementation, with emphasis on the critical aspects for which innovation is required. This work will be carried out by health care experts, selected across the EU, representing: administration, management and professionals, and the organisations concerned: care providers institutions, both private and public, assurance companies, etc. Development work: structured around a limited number of technological platforms to allow feasible products, in terms of market size and innovation. Development includes the mobile personal systems and the e-health network connecting service providers and wireless personal terminals; based on the new generation of wireless communication technologies. Which configure the final products of the project: navigation/positioning personal terminals; programmable terminals to hold well-defined protocols for tele-assistance or the management of emergency situations; data capture mobile personal devices; and multi-modal high dialogue capacity terminals to access a variety of information and consultation purposes. For the development of the platforms special concern will be given to the provision of the elements on which greatly depends the real market value of the project outcomes: high usability interfaces, easy to personalise to usage context; appropriate tools for privacy and security; high reliability and robustness of the developments; means to allow scalability and interoperability to enlarge market segments; and finally the use of powerful evaluation tools to optimise the quality of the products. The platform will be then exposed to the health care experts for evaluation to conclude with the elaboration of the Exploitation Plan of the products

Project data

• Acronym: HEALTHMATE
• Contract number: IST-2000-26154
• Starting date: 01/01/2000
• Intended duration: 30 months
• Cost: 2853612 euros
• European Commission contribution: 50 percent

Acknowledgement