DIADEM project

The project promotes the active involvement of all key-stakeholders. Key-stakeholders comprised not only the developers of DIADEM technology and the service providers but also the older adults, the representatives from government agencies, private care/medical agencies and charities that support the older adults in each partner country (the UK, Norway and Italy).

The specifications for the DIADEM technology are the main output from the above involvement. The main focus of this specification was a description of what all the functions of the DIADEM technology are. These were defined in grate length to ensure that the developers understand what the older adult users require from the DIADEM and prioritise the requirements to pay considerable attention to the items that were perceived by the older adult users as very important. The DIADEM technology was developed using these specifications.

The older user trials were employed to evaluate the efficiency, effectiveness, usability of the technology developed and the older users’ satisfaction with it. Using the various results from these older user trials the DIADEM technology is being further improved.

In brief the DIADEM project:

• Creates software components that can front-end existing services with an intelligent, supportive, and personalised User Interface;
• Performs research to select the most effective technology features and strategies to assist the target group;
• Produces a trial system and demonstrate proof of concept as an interface to existing services;
• Identifies, and where necessary extend, relevant standards;
• Develops hardware layouts for places where several users share one access point, such as public libraries;
• Establishes guidelines and working practices for deploying the technology and assisting disabled citizens.