The UJI.>LAB, Espaitec's LivingLab, promotes the co-creative project "Integrated Disability" by developing the proof of concept and validating the initial prototype of the My Life Easiest application in InfoCampus, the Information and Registration Office of the Universitat Jaume I
The project «Integrated Disability» Its main objective improve accessibility for people with disabilities in public or private centers, where personal attention is required, and at the same time maintain your privacy and anonymity. Often, the disability itself can make personal interaction difficult, creating uncomfortable situations, and even more so if there is no prior knowledge on the part of public service professionals. For this reason, it has been developed and validated the My Life Easier app, through the proof of concept of the initial prototype, carried out in a real environment that provides public service, such as the InfoCampus, the Information and Registration Office of the Universitat Jaume I.
The initiative «Integrated Disability» is a co-creative and multidisciplinary project promoted by Teresa Gallego, professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Construction, and Raul Marin, professor of the Department of Computer Engineering and Science, and led by the UJI.>LAB, the Espaitec LivingLab, and in which faculty from the areas of Architecture, Computer Engineering and Economics of the Universitat Jaume I participate, and which also has the collaboration of the Parkinson's Association of Castellón. By Gallego , "ideas are born from needs, changes in your context and available resources", adding that "intimacy has been the main condition of the project". Marin has stressed that «This is a project born from a real need, directed by teachers from different areas, developed at a prototype level by students of the degree in Computer Engineering, and elevated to pre-commercial quality thanks to the coordination of Espaitec, business collaboration, and validation by end users».
Proof of concept My Life Easier
The initial prototype of the application has been developed by the company Gen72, based on technology Bluetooth and supported by a set of sensors and receivers. The proof of concept was carried out with real users with disabilities, specifically three members of the Parkinson's Association of Castellón They tested, evaluated, and validated the app My Life Easier. The proof of concept consisted of a Simulation of possible user-application interaction in a relevant environment by carrying out a procedure in the Infocampus of the Jaume University I, where the operation of the application, the detection of the devices, the range of the signal and the most appropriate procedure to follow in the presence of users were evaluated. Users performed different tests evaluating three different types of devices (Smartwatch, clinical bracelet and activity bracelet). The activity bracelet was confirmed as the most suitable device for its affordable cost, added functionalities, discretion and comfort.
Yolanda PascualResponsible for InfoCampusStresses that «in the proof of concept carried out at InfoCampus I had the opportunity to verify the ease of the app to provide care adapted to the problems of each user with a disability, without the need for them to have to explain their disability every time they go to a center public". For its part, Carolina García, psychologist at Parkinson's Association of Castellón, highlights that «participation has been very productive and enriching, since it has given us the opportunity to collaborate in the development of a tool that will facilitate the inclusion of people with disabilities».
UJI.>LAB, Espaitec's LivingLab
El UJI.>LAB It is an environment that podcast makes available to students, teachers and research groups of the Universitat Jaume I to boost the generation of innovative ideas, linked to the challenge-solution paradigm, with a multidisciplinary strategy, that is, under a 360º prism. To this end, it incorporates a set of mechanisms that will allow the proposals of the university community to materialize, such as the FabLab, prototyping laboratory of initiatives that result in a tangible product. To achieve this, we have the most advanced technology in 3D Printers, Resin Printers, Laser Cutters, Cutting Plotters, Precision CNC and CNC for large formats.
In the words of Juan Antonio Bertolin, director of podcast, «Co-creative processes in university environments promote, on the one hand, the generation of talent, creativity, work in multidisciplinary teams and with proven methodologies, and can promote a certain entrepreneurial spirit naturally. Facing possible challenges allows us to discover how to address them, how to articulate the identification of solutions to these challenges and how to develop the so-called soft-skills necessary for entrepreneurship..
UJI.>LAB has been possible thanks to the financing of the Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI) from 2020 to present.
