Older people living the cross-border area of central Spain and Portugal are playing virtual games to stay physically healthy and mentally active. The Euroage project harnessed the latest developments in electronics, computer applications and robotics to create a range of tests and exercises that older people can complete in day centres and care homes. All the games were designed and supervised with the help of health professionals including neuropsychologists, physiotherapists, psychologists and carers.
- 05 July 2020
Euroage is a cross-border project between Spain and Portugal that provides different tools to promote active ageing and increase the autonomy and quality of life of older people.
The Euroage project brought together around 200 researchers, engineers and health professionals from the cross-border EuroACE region. Their goal was to develop games that motivate older people to exercise their bodies and brains.
The project team used advances in social robotics to help people carry out their daily activities and remain as independent as possible. All the games and devices developed through the project have been validated in real situations with older people with a variety of needs.
Getting people moving
The project created a physical stimulation prototype game in which older people simulate a traditional local activity such as harvesting grapes. This game uses motion detection, allowing the player to interact with the system through body movements. The game tests walking on the spot, balance, reaction times and lower-body strength.
Euroage devised four serious games for cognitive stimulation designed to be played through mobile devices and PCs. The games are based on everyday activities such as shopping, money management and product organisation. These games stimulate memory, sharpen organisational skills, help people plan tasks and encourage language use. Through another prototype, users interact with an application in which they must correctly order steps in their daily lives such as preparing coffee, setting the table and cooking.
All of these gaming prototypes are being used by older people in different public and private institutions in Spain and Portugal. Specifically, they have been installed in nine institutions, including daycare centres, homes for the elderly and nursing homes in Cáceres and Badajoz, Spain and Guarda and Castelo Branco, Portugal . A scientific study is currently being carried out to determine the benefits of using these systems to improve older people’s autonomy.
The robot helper
Through the project, a social robot called Growme is being used as an ICT tool in cognitive and rehabilitation therapies in an older person’s institution in Coimbra, Portugal. At the same time, the advances in smart environments for assistance are being deployed in other real environments, such as at the Aztide association in Cáceres, Spain.
The project developed a ‘health literacy’ task to promote active ageing, which involves teaching healthcare professionals and their clients to use the new systems and games.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “EuroAGE” is EUR 1 225 459, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 919 094 through the “Interreg V-A Spain-Portugal” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Research and innovation”.