Areas of interest
Queensland Smart Home Initiative
The Queensland Smart Home Initiative (QSHI) was formed in November 2006 as a collaboration between researchers, industry and community care organisations The purpose of the collaboration was to demonstrate the effectiveness of assistive technologies as an integral component of community care. In the long term the QSHI aims to develop a national centre for innovations in health care leveraging off the findings from the cumulative associated research.
Initial funding was obtained from the Queensland Department of State Development and Trade, to assist in the development of QSHI and as part of the project to develop an assistive technology demonstration facility.
The Queensland Smart Home Initiative (QSHI) phase 1 was first launched with the opening of our demonstration facility in April 2007 located at Blue Care Kenmore retirement living complex, and was closed in March 2008. This demonstrator focused on independent living for older persons.
With Phase 2 now underway, the new QSHI demonstrator will be located at the LifeTec independent living centre in Newmarket, QLD. The new demonstrator will be officially opened in April 2009 by the Queensland Minister for Health, the Hon. Stephen Robertson, MP who has committed to launch the event.
The new demonstration, education and training facility will showcase the latest assistive technology and allow visitors to experience how assistive technologies work in a simulated home setting. The smart home aims to advance the adoption of intelligent assistive technologies, with the focus on supporting independent living, providing greater access to care, improving outcomes and reducing costs.
A key research project for the QSHI is the 101 Smart Homes project, based on the West Lothian study in Scotland and other UK/European community Telecare projects. The aim of the project is to provide local statistics which demonstrate the viability of a broader community telehealthcare program.
To date the QSHI has proved to be a great success attracting hundreds of visitors including government, care industry representatives, ageing and disability advocates, and international care organisations.
 For more information on the Queensland Smart Home Initiative please visit www.qshi.org.au |
