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Appendix 1

"FY2014 Strategic International Collaborative Research Program (SICORP)"
Japan-Finland Collaborative Research Projects

Project Title Japanese Researcher Position and Institution Abstract of Research Project
Finnish Researcher
1 Next Generation Affective Life Log: Machine Learning with Multimodal Sensor Networks Motoaki Kawanabe Senior Researcher, Cognitive Mechanisms Labs. Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) This project aims at establishing a new system which will enable automated analysis of the affective state such as emotions and moods of older people. The Japanese group will keep elderly people’s life log by measuring their psycho-physiological and ambient condition in an experiment house at ATR. The Finnish group will develop the machine-learning techniques for building life-log using sparse experience sampled data. This collaboration is expected to create a new system of an affective life log for older people.
Aapo Hyvärinen Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Helsinki
2 User Interface Design for the Ageing Population Xiangshi Ren Professor, Center for Human Computer Interaction and School of Information, Kochi University of Technology The project will study novel user interfaces for smartphones that will be better suited and adapted to elderly people’s movement capabilities and cognitive functioning. The Japanese group will develop frontend software such as physical (tactile) feedback that will improve elderly people’s efficiency when using smartphones. The Finnish group will develop backend software to optimize user interface designs that will match the known capabilities of older adults. The collaboration will lead to new smartphone designs that will be easier for elderly people to use.
Antti Oulasvirta Associate Professor, School of Electrical Engineering, Aalto University
3 Meaningful Technology for Seniors: Safety, Comfort and Joy (METESE)-Models of Digital and Human Networks Kentaro Watanabe Research Scientist, Center for Service Research, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology This study aims at proposing an integrative approach to develop, apply and evaluate ICT and robotics technologies for supporting older people. The Japanese research team will conduct the comparative study on elderly care services and case studies on application of care support technologies in Japan and Finland to clarify requirements for care support technologies in each country and their application process. The Finnish research team will develop care support technologies based on ICT and robotics technologies and evaluate the influence of these technologies from viewpoints of multiple stakeholders including older people, their relatives and care staff. Through the collaborative research to clarify required care support technologies in both countries and their implementation process, we will contribute to the quality of life of older people, the sustainability of elderly care and the industrial vitalization of care support technologies.
Marja Toivonen Research Professor, Business Ecosystems, Value Chains and Foresight, VTT Technical Research Centre

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