EDUCAT is a project to develop and deliver adaptive, open and modular technology to promote independence and improve quality of life for people with motor impairment and neurological disorders. The project aims to promote a user-centred assistive technology design, using codesign methods, involving service users, engineers, clinicians, researchers, user-support networks and companies. The expected benefits are cost and time savings for companies (for developing technologies) and hospitals (for care) as well as a higher efficiency of use of the technology.

Because we believe that the best innovations start from a user need, we have developed a digital platform, iTCH! (www.letsitch.eu), to build up a network which brings together people with different skills and different nationalities. You can use this platform to share your ideas or to contribute to innovative projects regarding technologies for a better health. 34 ideas are in the platform. The iTCH! network includes 43 companies, 31 health service users, 17 networks and 27 service providers(O4). A securised part is also available for secret management(06).

To allow developers to test effectiveness of new medical devices or treatments through clinical trials, an open modular adaptive framework is developed. The framework consists of a cloud database, an Android tablet and an embedded hardware. Developers can merge their own sensors, systems, algorithms etc. as new modules in the overall framework, allowing cost and time effective testing. The framework allows easy setting up of clinical trials on different remote locations (BE, FR, UK) with different user types and roles, letting the developer focus on the data analysis, rather than facing the problem of setting up the required environment to conduct the clinical trials (O1). The data recording system has been tested and data has been delivered. It was attached to the 9 wheelchair users over a period of 5 days. Preliminary results show the potential of a clinical value of the driving characteristics for gathering information about the wheelchair users and their need of assistance.

Since the end of 2020, an Obstacle Detection System (OAS) and an autonomous parking sytem are available. Last testings in UK are running to non wheelchair volunters (02). A study of Wheelchair market of Belgium and France (O5) is also available, including an estimate gain of 1000€ a year per person using a powered wheelchair and OAS system.