A new technology trial is set to take place at a retirement housing complex in Biggar, aiming to monitor health and wellbeing indicators such as motion and property temperature. The groundbreaking six-month scheme will involve placing unobtrusive sensors inside the 25 homes and around the development at Langvout Court. Data gathered from these sensors will be sent to a technology platform for constant monitoring to inform care and housing staff and address any tenant issues.
This innovative project is being conducted by Glasgow technology firm Archangel in collaboration with Bield, the owners of the development, and with support from the South Lanarkshire health and social care partnership. The sensors will be connected via Angelnet, the Archangel certified partner, resilient connectivity network, to provide data to all stakeholders through the Archangel platform. This initiative is part of the “evaluating care delivery in rural settings” project, which is one of 11 projects across the Glasgow City region to receive funding from the Smart & Connected Social Places 5G Innovation fund.
The information gathered from the sensors in Langvout Court will be relayed to an “ambient assisted living” technology platform for continuous monitoring. Archangel CEO Tom Morton emphasised the importance of a unified communication infrastructure to collect and present data from multiple IoT devices, enabling more efficient decision-making and timely interventions. The project aligns with Bield Housing’s digital strategy and the Smart Social Housing initiative, aiming to address challenges in housing, health, and social care by integrating digital technologies.
Professor Soumen Sengupta, director of Health and Social Care South Lanarkshire, highlighted the significance of digital technologies in supporting independent living in suitable and sustainable homes for those with specific needs. The funding for the project was secured with support from the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre (DHI), indicating a commitment to research and innovation in digital health to enhance housing safety and responsiveness to personal circumstances.
This technology trial showcases a collaborative effort to harness the power of IoT devices for the betterment of residents’ health and wellbeing in a retirement setting. By integrating digital technologies into housing and care services, this project aims to set a new standard for monitoring and support systems, potentially revolutionising how health and wellbeing are managed in similar environments in the future.