REACH Touchpoint 3 aims at technology-induced, personalised early interventions and lifestyle changes (physical activity, socialising, nutritional monitoring, etc.) seamlessly integrated into the elderly care ecosystem of a local community care centre. In this context two food intervention sub-systems have been developed:

Food intervention sub-system 1: Biozoon’s design of personalised food intervention system:

Different food provision modules have been successfully developed by Biozoon considering three different case scenarios with regard to individual independence and the degree of oral impairment. Personalized recipes addressing the specific needs and requirements of the individual elderly have been developed, tested and optimized. Therefore, different aspects such as gender, weight, physical activity level as well as specific dietary requirements (e.g. high protein demand) have been considered in the different calculations of the food provision modules. A strong focus has been put on special food for individuals with oral impairments. Furthermore, feasibility studies of 3D printing of different food components/menus have been performed and optimized to meet the specific needs of dysphagia patients/residents.

Food intervention sub-system 2: MiranaBot, a voice user interface to promote healthy eating

The WHO demonstrated that we are now in an era where we are living longer to accumulate chronic and non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease; and will die less frequently from malnutrition and infectious diseases. Lifestyle habits that we can influence such as lack of physical activity and poor eating habits remain among the main risk factors for noncommunicable diseases. However, although engaging in healthy behaviors has been shown to be very beneficial to health and well-being, the main challenge remains in the motivation for adoption and the long-term commitment to such behavior. This is the reason we are developing “Mirana”, a smart personal assistant who understands what you are saying and helps you understand your eating habits and adopt healthier nutrition over the long term. From a description of what you took at each meal, “Mirana” is able to assess the quality of your nutrition and identify the foods you need to consume less, explain why and how to replace them. It helps you to realize if you are really hungry and if you eat regularly. “Mirana” proposes personalized solutions tailored to your needs and your context. We are still in the development process of the application. We are planning to start the testing at the beginning of 2019.

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