AI-powered smart care home to enhance quality of elderly care

The collaboration between Aston University and Lee Mount Healthcare will design and implement an AI system tailored for residential care. The smart care solution will integrate machine learning to automate routine tasks, compliance reporting, and data management. By reducing administrative burdens, care workers will have more time to focus on direct support for residents. 

The system will combine information from various sources, including residents’ health metrics, care needs, and personal preferences. This will enable more accurate decision-making, the creation of personalized care plans, and provide families with easy access to updates about their loved ones. 

Dr. Roberto Alamino, lecturer in Applied AI & Robotics at Aston University, emphasized the importance of bridging research and practical applications: “The challenges of this KTP are both technical and human in nature. For practical applications of machine learning, it’s important to establish a common language between us as researchers and the users of the technology we are developing.” 

There are nearly 17,000 care homes in the UK supporting just under half a million residents. With many providers still relying on paper-based systems, the smart care home project highlights the potential of AI to improve efficiency and care standards. By leveraging technology, the initiative aims to reduce costs while enhancing staff capacity to deliver quality care. 

Manjinder Boo Dhiman, director of Lee Mount Healthcare, stated: “As a company, we’ve always focused on innovation and breaking barriers, and this KTP builds on many years of progress towards digitization. We hope by taking the next step into AI, we’ll also help to improve the image of the care sector and overcome stereotypes, to show that we are forward thinking and can attract the best talent.” 

The project is funded through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) by Innovate UK. Aston University, ranked first for project quality and joint first for the number of active projects, is a leading provider of KTPs. The Aston Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Application (ACAIRA) will provide expertise in AI, ensuring the system delivers practical solutions for the care sector. 

MEDICA-tradefair.com; Source: Aston University