COGKNOW: Translating Research Innovation into Products and Services

This paper describes an eInclusion project supported by the European FP6 research programme, called COGKNOW. The aim of this project is to develop innovative solutions from research that help people in the early stages of dementia maintain their independence and confidence. The project is heavily user-driven and relies also on significant clinical advice and guidance to provide the technical research and development team with strong pathways for development. The project is developing a cognitive prosthetic device that can reinforce feelings of safety, support recreational activities, facilitate communication and most importantly support the person by using a calendar-driven reminding function in the device. COGKNOW is also focused on ensuring that the user-driven and clinically supported development takes cognisance of the potential market for a cognitive prosthetic. Consequently there is a formal assessment of the potential market carried out in the project. At this stage in the project, the functionality identified for the first of three trials in the project has been set out, and this paper introduces these findings and relates them to the proposed business framework.