Housing technology of the future unveiled in new Linlithgow hub

Last year, Bield Housing and Care secured £75,000 from the TAPPI project.

Some of the money has been used to open a digital hub at its West Port development in Linlithgow, allowing tenants, staff and others to trial and give feedback on digital care advancements.

The Technology for our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (TAPPI) project aims to improve the way technology is used in housing and care for older people.

The West Port hub consists of four spaces including two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, one kitchen space and one living space. There is also a consultation room and a dining space. Each room has been fitted out with different technologies.

Tenants were welcomed by Dr Lynne Douglas, CEO of Bield, on March 31, ahead of a formal launch in May.

She said: “Setting up the hub will bring life-changing technology to West Lothian and it’s fantastic to have this space to enable people to get first-hand experience.

“It’s very important that Bield tenants and customers get the chance to familiarise themselves with this incredible tech which is available to them through the TAPPI project. After all, the technology is designed in order for them to reap the benefits.”

The funding will give Bield the unique opportunity to work with Linlithgow tenants to test a range of devices, apps and systems across a variety of housing settings. Bield staff and tenants will have shared responsibility to produce digital services to support independent living – a first for the Scottish housing charity.

The Linlithgow hub will showcase three main technologies. Anthropos uses analytical technologies to map individuals’ daily routines and sends insights to family or staff. If abnormal action is detected, it intervenes to prevent a crisis.

Aquarate drinking cups, which track individuals’ fluid intake by measuring liquid volume automatically, are also available.

The third technology is Vayyar, a non-wearable, non-invasive, four-dimensional tracking technology which supports fall detection. It also determines room presence and tracks mobility levels and bathroom visits, all of which facilitate autonomous living.