Working group 2 - Between technological progress and exploding costs: ambient assisted living and medical technology for sustainable care

New technology systems that can simplify or carry out day-to-day tasks will become increasingly important in the future. They can provide specific support and assistance thanks to the use of systems – including sensors and other devices – that support everyday activities, supply daily necessities and get help in emergencies.

The term “ambient assisted living” is used to describe this approach. It includes concepts, products and services that integrate technology into living environments in order to increase quality of life for people of all ages.

This working group will focus on presenting – and questioning – the opportunities and implications of ambient assisted living. After all, hardly anybody would want to live in a completely automated environment; a life dominated by technology. What applications are really desirable to help people cope with everyday life? For what innovations can we actually find useful fields of application? And in what cases may the costs be higher than the expected market potential? The discussions and contributions of the second working group will focus on these and other questions.