Living Lab 4

Smart Housing/ Communities

In 2012, the UK stopped using old-style TV signals, and everyone had to start using digital technology to watch TV. In 2025, the same thing will happen to the phone lines that many people use for emergency "lifeline" devices.

These devices, which are often called "a button and box," won't work anymore when the phone lines switch from old-style analogue signals to digital signals. This change will be made by the companies that provide phone services.

Some companies in Moray have switched their customers to digital phone lines, which means that people who already use the Moray Lifeline service have had to switch to a new, digitally-enabled box to keep using the service.

However, this change also brings the opportunity for new digital technology to support us in living safely and independently in our own homes. Many of us already have smart devices like voice-activated hubs such as Alexa and Google, which can automate tasks in our homes, as well as smartwatches and phones that can track our heart rate and steps.

By using technology and data in a secure manner, we can improve our ability to detect changes in someone's health, mobility, and activity patterns. This can help reduce the risk of hospitalization or admission to a care home, allow for earlier discharge from hospital, reduce reliance on care services, reduce isolation, and improve the overall quality of life and mental well-being.

The RCE team is working with Health and Social Care Moray and the public to explore how these technologies can be used innovatively to benefit the people of Moray, given the challenges faced by NHS and Social Care services.

This project, known as the Living Lab, is closely linked to another initiative called the Housing Mix project. The Housing Mix project aims to build up to 300 affordable homes in areas such as Elgin, Buckie, and Speyside. The first phase of this project will see the construction of 24 net zero smart homes in Dallas Dhu, which will allow us to test digital health innovation in a real-world setting.

Moray has an ageing population and, due to its rural location, it is important that older adults can maintain their independence in their homes or in a homely setting. By building homes with digital technologies such as voice assistants or activity monitoring, we can identify problems early and help citizens maintain their independence while also reducing service pressures.

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