BaltSe@nioR

BALTSE@NIOR (Innovative Solutions to Support Enterprises in the Baltic Sea Region in Product Development Aimed at Raising Comfort and Safety of Seniors):
All countries of the Baltic Sea Region face societal ageing processes. These processes come along with an increasing need for age-friendly furniture and interior design. Such furniture can contribute to security and independence of seniors. To give an example, the usual design of kitchen often unintentionally comprises barriers and obstacles for the elderly, since they require frequent bending or feature cupboards that are placed too high. While other industries already realized the potential of seniors as a growing customer group, the Baltic Sea Region’s furniture industry does not exploit its full potential. Most of these companies are small and medium-sized enterprises for which age-friendly furniture design could represent a promising market niche. To cover this niche, however, innovation capacities must be increased and common standards and certificates need to take hold.
Against this background, BaltSe@nioR addresses three major goals: firstly, to strengthen security and independence of seniors through optimized age-friendly furniture and interior design; secondly, to increase competitiveness of SME’s from the furniture industry in the region; and thirdly, to understand the design of age-friendly innovative furniture as integrated, overarching task that requires the involvement of professionals from social sciences, robotics, ICT and other disciplines.

OUTPUTS:
As a result, the project will give BSR furniture companies inspiration and a common identity, it will enhance their knowledge and competences, and increase their capability to work in a transnational environment. It will deliver BSR furniture industry ground-breaking ICT tools, knowledge and innovative working methods supporting companies in new product development. Consequently, the project will enhance their capacity of innovation to create smart products adapted to senior needs, making the companies more innovative and competitive.
The project offered an inspirational knowledge database for seniors as customers. The Virtual Library is a one-stop-shop that compiles research results, manuals, publications and tools to support the process of development of senior-friendly products.

FURTHER RESOURCES:
BaltSe@nioR project website and Virtual Library
BaltSe@nioR on Facebook

DURATION:
2016 – 2019

CONTACT:
Funding Programme: Interreg Baltic Sea Region
Lead Partner: Poznan University of Life Sciences, Beata Fabisiak (Email)

IMPRESSIONS:
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