The ADAPT project started in January 2017 and most project activities finished in June 2022, with the training element remaining open to learners in the UK until 31st December 2022.
It is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund within the framework of the INTERREG VA France (Channel) England programme. The FEDER program grants the project € 5,944,288.67.
The project gathers together 16 partners, eight from France and eight from England and aims to develop innovative solutions to improve the home care, wellbeing and independence of people with severe disabilities. It focuses on four main aims:
- Smart and connected Electrical Powered Wheelchair (EPW) to compensate for user disabilities through driving assistance technologies and report users' health through connection with Internet. This system will benefit severely disabled users and enable health professionals to monitor changes in user health.
- EPW Simulator platform using virtual reality. This will give the user an immersive experience of the Smart and Connected EPW and train them to drive in everyday life. Professionals will assess the suitability of the EPW for particular patients and environments and gain understanding of the user perspective.
- Training of healthcare professionals in assistive technologies/social assistive robotics. This novel training provision addresses a gap in the current healthcare education. Project platforms will be captured in training protocols for the benefit of users and healthcare providers.
- Formalised agreements between research institutions and companies built through events ranging from local to international meetings for promoting and disseminating ADAPT results, creating synergies, identifying points of convergence for common studies so as to boost R&D and favouring the spread of innovative ADAPT assistive technologies/social assistive robotics to the market.
For more information regarding the wider ADAPT project, please visit the ADAPT website.
ADAPT Partners
There are 16 ADAPT Project partners in France and England. The project is led by IRSEEM (Institut d Recherche en Systemes Electroniques Embarques) - Graduate School for Engineering in France.
The UK partners are:
- Canterbury Christ Church University
- University of Kent
- University College London
- East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust (EKHUFT)
- Health and Europe Centre
- Cornwall Mobility
- Kent, Surrey and Sussex Academic Health and Science Network (KSS AHSN)
The partners in France are:
- Université de Picardie Jules Verne
- INSA Rennes
- Pôle Saint Hélier
- Le réseau Breizh Paralysie Cérébrale
- Pôle TES
- CHU – Hôpitaux de Rouen’
Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) is the lead partner for Work Package 3 (WP3) - Training of Health Care Professionals in Assistive Technologies. The CCCU team have conducted a survey of health professionals’ knowledge and attitudes towards Assistive Technologies (AT) in order to develop training materials and sessions, which will be evaluated. CCCU are also contributing to WP1 (Electronic Powered Wheelchair Simulator Virtual Reality) and WP2 (Smart & Connected Robotic EPW) by providing medical specialist expertise in orthopaedics and postural care for disabled users, bringing expertise in assessing the impact of Assistive Technologies on developing more effective children's occupational therapy services. Christ Church will also contribute to the ‘Technology Transfer’ work package by utilising our strong partnerships with healthcare providers, service users and key stakeholders in the area.