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"Hogar Avante", an example of a safe, accessible digital home
Publication date: June 2008
Hogar Avante is the exhibition of a 112m2 apartment totally adapted and equipped with products and technologies which guarantee accessibility, safety and comfort. at the service of dependency, disability and quality of life. From the 5th to the 7th of June, in Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via exhibition centre, visitors can see this example of digital home which improves the autonomy of disabled or dependent people.
Executed according to criteria of accessibility and universal design, this type of home also contributes to the social and occupational integration of disabled people, thanks to new forms of telecommunications and telework. It also increase raises self-esteem by increasing autonomy and independence and helps in rehabilitation processes. Costs for the Administration are also reduced because personal care is administered at home.
This project, coordinated by the La Salle University Centre –from the UserLab and the Technological Innovation in Building Area–, has the cooperation of the ONCE Foundation, Vodafone, Grohe, Oihana Pardo, Wissner Bosserhoff, Bticino and JR Sistemas de Seguridad.
Solutions and technologies
The different rooms in the house incorporate solutions and technologies based on accessible equipment (furniture, domestic appliances, installations); user interfaces; automation and control; robotics, safety and teleassistance; telecommunications; and digital leisure and entertainment.
According to the coordinator of La Salle’s Technology in Building, Gemma Batlle, “the aim of this exhibition is to present the advantages of a digital home and to promote the knowledge of new products and technologies which increase personal autonomy and comfort at home, making day to day life easier and more comfortable for all family members”.
The rooms reproduced in “Hogar Avante” are a living room, a kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom. Visitors will be able to walk around the home and check out its functionality and different technological applications.
The living room
The homes most polyvalent space which, in addition to being a living room, is also used as a workplace, thanks to the television and computer with internet access. There will be demonstrations of different user interfaces, for example software which reads out loud what appears on the screen, which is very useful to people with sight impairments. The furniture is of universal design and provides maximum comfort, such as a central, height-adjustable table and a video intercom which is activated by blowing.
The kitchen
All the furniture is accessible. The wardrobes and countertops are mobile and can be electrically adjusted to the height of the user. They can be lowered by up to 42 cm and moved forward by up to 18 cm. The space at the bottom of the cabinets allows wheelchair users to get closer. The doors incorporate low friction, telescopic rails and ergonomic handles, to allow easy opening by elderly or weak people. The sink’s mono tap is electronic and a single movement turns it on and regulates the temperature. The cutlery is adapted and pots and pans are ergonomic.
The bedroom
All the furniture is accessible and can be adapted to the user. It incorporates safety elements which allow the user to make contact with the outside or with someone in the living room, in case of emergency and teleassistance, to take basic measurements, such as electrocardiograms, blood pressure or body temperature. The robotised bed guarantees safety and comfort. The bed can be adjusted to give various resting positions by means of a manual handle. It can be elevated and height adjusted.
The bathroom
Without barriers and with easy-handling electronic actions. The bathroom is completely adapted, with sufficient free space for access and mobility and a floor-level shower for people in wheelchairs. The flooring in the sensitive areas is non-slip. The washbasin is height-adjustable (manually or electrically) to adapt to the needs of each user and the mirror is basculating. All handles are ergonomic and placed at an accessible height. The sink taps are electronic and the toilet is infrared-activated. The toilet and shower have two firmly anchored support bars. The shower, which incorporates a seat, has a thermostat which adjusts the water temperature to avoid burns and offers the possibility of automatic thermal disinfection. As in the bedroom, this room has a visual and acoustic alarm system in case of incidents.
Barcelona, June 2008
Images at http://premsa.firabcn.es (2008 shows – Avante 2008)
Head of press: Maria Dolors Herranzº
Contact telephoneo: 93 233 25 41
Email address: mdherranz@firabcn.es