Research Project
Description / Topics
FRR was a user centred research project. It developed prototypes of new self adapting toilets which support older and disabled citizens. Intensive user tests carried out in 5 European countries have confirmed significant advantages for users and care persons. A basic product version is already available on the market.
Problem addressed
Toilet facilities in private and public places presently do not fit the specific needs of many old persons with physical and cognitive limitations.
Objectives
The objective of this project was to carry out the necessary research and design, the engineering and evaluation of prototypes for a Friendly Rest Room (FRR) for older persons and/or persons with disabilities.
The elements of the FRR should be able to adjust to the individual needs of older persons with functional limitations or disabilities, allowing them to gain greater autonomy, independence, self-esteem, dignity, safety, improved self-care and therefore enable them to enjoy a better quality of life.
Description of Work and Results
The consortium brought together end-user organizations representing a wide range of European countries (more than 30), universities, research and rehabilitation centres as well as industrial partners from design and sanitary industry.
The project involved broad user driven research to define the user parameters for designing and developing the FRR systems. User involvement (primary as well as secondary users) took place in all the stages of the design and evaluation of the iterative prototypes.
Several successive prototype generations of Friendly Rest Rooms where many of the components are adjustable to the needs of older persons with varying degrees of functional impairment were designed, developed and tested at 5 European test sites. Additionally to laboratory tests a very successful real life evaluation was done.
The methods and technologies involved range from contactless smart card technologies (RFID) with read-write capabilities, voice activation interface, motion control and sensor systems, mechanical engineering and robotic techniques, mathematical modelling, as well as ergonomic research, design for all philosophy, gerontechnology and medical and social sciences.
The research results of the project were presented and discussed at a closing conference in March 2005. There, an outstanding presentation about the benefits of a smart toilet was delivered by a group of users and care persons who had tested one of the prototype systems in real life environment over a period of 2 months.
In January 2006 a first product version was brought to European market by Hungarian company Santis Kft. During year 2006 a book about FRR research results will be published.
Further Information on Homepage: http://www.fortec.tuwien.ac.at/frr
Problem addressed
Toilet facilities in private and public places presently do not fit the specific needs of many old persons with physical and cognitive limitations.
Objectives
The objective of this project was to carry out the necessary research and design, the engineering and evaluation of prototypes for a Friendly Rest Room (FRR) for older persons and/or persons with disabilities.
The elements of the FRR should be able to adjust to the individual needs of older persons with functional limitations or disabilities, allowing them to gain greater autonomy, independence, self-esteem, dignity, safety, improved self-care and therefore enable them to enjoy a better quality of life.
Description of Work and Results
The consortium brought together end-user organizations representing a wide range of European countries (more than 30), universities, research and rehabilitation centres as well as industrial partners from design and sanitary industry.
The project involved broad user driven research to define the user parameters for designing and developing the FRR systems. User involvement (primary as well as secondary users) took place in all the stages of the design and evaluation of the iterative prototypes.
Several successive prototype generations of Friendly Rest Rooms where many of the components are adjustable to the needs of older persons with varying degrees of functional impairment were designed, developed and tested at 5 European test sites. Additionally to laboratory tests a very successful real life evaluation was done.
The methods and technologies involved range from contactless smart card technologies (RFID) with read-write capabilities, voice activation interface, motion control and sensor systems, mechanical engineering and robotic techniques, mathematical modelling, as well as ergonomic research, design for all philosophy, gerontechnology and medical and social sciences.
The research results of the project were presented and discussed at a closing conference in March 2005. There, an outstanding presentation about the benefits of a smart toilet was delivered by a group of users and care persons who had tested one of the prototype systems in real life environment over a period of 2 months.
In January 2006 a first product version was brought to European market by Hungarian company Santis Kft. During year 2006 a book about FRR research results will be published.
Further Information on Homepage: http://www.fortec.tuwien.ac.at/frr
Project Data
Start:
1 Jan 2002
End:
31 Mar 2005
Grant Number:
FRR QLRT-2001-00458
Funded by:
- Europäische Union - EU
Further information about this research project
Project Management:
- Zagler, Wolfgang, Prof. Dr.
Employees:
- Panek, Paul |
- Edelmayer, Georg |
- Mayer, Peter
Institutions:
Technische Universität Wien
Institut "integriert studieren"
Forschungsgruppe Rehabilitationstechnik (FORTEC)
Neue Anschrift:
Institut für Gestaltungs- und Wirkungsforschung
Zentrum für angewandte assistierende Technologien
Favoritenstr. 11/187-2b
A-1040 Wien
Telephone:
+43-1-58801-187700
E-Mail:
frr@fortec.tuwien.ac.at
E-Mail:
zagler@fortec.tuwien.ac.at
Homepage:
https://www.fortec.tuwien.ac.at/reha.d/projects/fr...
Homepage:
http://www.aat.tuwien.ac.at/
Ansprechperson: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Zagler
Delft University of Technology (Gesamtprojekt-Leitung: Prof. Dr. Johan FM Molenbroek und Renate de Bruin)
Industrial Design Engineering
Landbergstraat 15
2628CE Delft
The Netherlands
Telephone:
+31 15 278 30 86
E-Mail:
frrct@io.tudelft.nl
Lund University Certec - Dep. of Rehabilitation Engineering
EURAG - European Federation of Older Persons
University of Athens Faculty of Nursing
University of Dundee Dept. of Applied Computing
Landmark Design for Public
Centro IRCCS S. Maria Nascente
Hellenic Association of Geriatrics and Gerontology
Technische Universität Wien Institute for Design & Assessment of Technology
Clean Solution Kft, Hungary
Projektbezogene Veröffentlichungen:
(1) R. Schlathau: FRR - Friendly Rest Rooms for Elderly and Disabled Persons, presentation at the European MS Platform in Dublin: Different Aspects of Care for People with Multiple Sclerosis & Their Caregivers, Ireland, May 2-5, 2002
(2) H. Neveryd, J. Molenbroek, P. Panek: FRR - Friendly Rest Rooms for Elderly and Disabled Persons - A User Centered R&D Project, to be printed in proceedings of Gerontechnology Conference, Miami Beach, Florida, November 9-12, 2002
(3) R. de Bruin, J. FM Molenbroek, T. Groothuizen, M. van Weeren: On the development of a friendly rest room, proceedings of the INCLUDE conference 2003, Inclusive Design for Society and Business, 2003
(4) Halkiotis S, Botsis T, Liaskos J, Mantas J.: Knowledge Management Approach in the FRR project (poster). In: MIE 2003. CD ROM Proceedings of the Medical Informatics Europe Conference; 2003 May 4-7, Saint Malo, France; 2003.
(5) P. Sourtzi, P. Panek, J. Liaskos and J. Mantas: FRIENDLY REST ROOM (FRR): Developing the concept and the product, presentation at 13th Alzheimer Europe Conf. and 3rd Hellenic National Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders Conference, "Sciences and Care", Thessaloniki, Greece, June 12-15, 2003
(6) S.N. Buzink, J.F.M. Molenbroek, E.M. Haagsman, R. de Bruin, Th.J.J. Groothuizen: S'wing; a fall prevention product for the toilet environment. Development of a product to prevent falls in the toilet environment (in Dutch). Tijdschrift voor Ergonomie 29; October 2004.
(7) P. Panek, N. Alm, G. Edelmayer, J. Liaskos, C. Magnusson, P. Mayer, H. Neveryd, A. Svensk and W. L. Zagler: User Interface and Control Software of an Intelligent Assistive Toilet System for All Citizens, oral presentation on International conference on inclusive design, Include 2005, Royal College of Art, London, April 5-8, 2005
(8) Buzink MSc, S.N., J.F.M. Molenbroek PhD, E.M. Haagsman, R. de Bruin MSc, T.J.J. Groothuizen MSc. Falls in the toilet environment; a study on influential factors, www.gerontechjournal.net, August 2005, Vol 4, No 1, pp 15-26.
(9) P. Panek, N. Alm, C. Dayé, Edelmayer, N. Gentile, C. Magnusson, P. Mayer, J. FM Molenbroek, H. Neveryd, M. Rauhala, A. Rist, R. Schlathau, W.L. Zagler: Friendly Rest Room Project: A Toilet Prototype for Improving the Quality of Life of Old People and Persons with Disability, in: A. Pruski, H. Knops (Eds.): Assistive Technology: From Virtuality to Reality, Proceedings of 8th European Conference for the Advancement of Assistive Technology (AAATE), ISBN 1-58603-543-6, IOS press, Lille, Sept 6-9, 2005, p.8-12.
(10) G. Edelmayer, P. Panek, P. Mayer, W.L. Zagler: Technologies for Smart Toilets, mstnews, bi-monthly journal for micro and nano technologies, issue on Ambient Assisted Living, VDI/VDE-IT, Germany, No 05/05, pp. 14-16 and 35, 2005
(1) R. Schlathau: FRR - Friendly Rest Rooms for Elderly and Disabled Persons, presentation at the European MS Platform in Dublin: Different Aspects of Care for People with Multiple Sclerosis & Their Caregivers, Ireland, May 2-5, 2002
(2) H. Neveryd, J. Molenbroek, P. Panek: FRR - Friendly Rest Rooms for Elderly and Disabled Persons - A User Centered R&D Project, to be printed in proceedings of Gerontechnology Conference, Miami Beach, Florida, November 9-12, 2002
(3) R. de Bruin, J. FM Molenbroek, T. Groothuizen, M. van Weeren: On the development of a friendly rest room, proceedings of the INCLUDE conference 2003, Inclusive Design for Society and Business, 2003
(4) Halkiotis S, Botsis T, Liaskos J, Mantas J.: Knowledge Management Approach in the FRR project (poster). In: MIE 2003. CD ROM Proceedings of the Medical Informatics Europe Conference; 2003 May 4-7, Saint Malo, France; 2003.
(5) P. Sourtzi, P. Panek, J. Liaskos and J. Mantas: FRIENDLY REST ROOM (FRR): Developing the concept and the product, presentation at 13th Alzheimer Europe Conf. and 3rd Hellenic National Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders Conference, "Sciences and Care", Thessaloniki, Greece, June 12-15, 2003
(6) S.N. Buzink, J.F.M. Molenbroek, E.M. Haagsman, R. de Bruin, Th.J.J. Groothuizen: S'wing; a fall prevention product for the toilet environment. Development of a product to prevent falls in the toilet environment (in Dutch). Tijdschrift voor Ergonomie 29; October 2004.
(7) P. Panek, N. Alm, G. Edelmayer, J. Liaskos, C. Magnusson, P. Mayer, H. Neveryd, A. Svensk and W. L. Zagler: User Interface and Control Software of an Intelligent Assistive Toilet System for All Citizens, oral presentation on International conference on inclusive design, Include 2005, Royal College of Art, London, April 5-8, 2005
(8) Buzink MSc, S.N., J.F.M. Molenbroek PhD, E.M. Haagsman, R. de Bruin MSc, T.J.J. Groothuizen MSc. Falls in the toilet environment; a study on influential factors, www.gerontechjournal.net, August 2005, Vol 4, No 1, pp 15-26.
(9) P. Panek, N. Alm, C. Dayé, Edelmayer, N. Gentile, C. Magnusson, P. Mayer, J. FM Molenbroek, H. Neveryd, M. Rauhala, A. Rist, R. Schlathau, W.L. Zagler: Friendly Rest Room Project: A Toilet Prototype for Improving the Quality of Life of Old People and Persons with Disability, in: A. Pruski, H. Knops (Eds.): Assistive Technology: From Virtuality to Reality, Proceedings of 8th European Conference for the Advancement of Assistive Technology (AAATE), ISBN 1-58603-543-6, IOS press, Lille, Sept 6-9, 2005, p.8-12.
(10) G. Edelmayer, P. Panek, P. Mayer, W.L. Zagler: Technologies for Smart Toilets, mstnews, bi-monthly journal for micro and nano technologies, issue on Ambient Assisted Living, VDI/VDE-IT, Germany, No 05/05, pp. 14-16 and 35, 2005
Reference Number:
R/FO2679
Last Update: 23 Oct 2019