In October, Vilans senior researcher and e-health expert, Dr. Henk Herman Nap visited China as part of a Dutch delegation lead by Minister of Long-term Care and Sport, Conny Helder. The group, which included several researchers and administrators involved in long-term care, visited Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong to discuss AI support for elderly care and people with dementia.
Dr. Nap presented the latest research findings from the Dutch healthcare organisation, Anders Werken in de Zorg (AgeTech Works) and shared his experiences on dementia care technology during the seminar ‘Designing Alzheimer’s Disease Care in an Age of Longevity: China and the Netherlands’. He also explored cooperation with the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology (BJAST) in knowledge exchange and setting up living labs with digital care innovations to support long-term care.
Field Lab JAIN PAN-SHU SCI-TECH PARK
During the visit, Vilans project partner, the JAIN Foundation (Joint Artificial Intelligence Network) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch the Field Lab JAIN PAN-SHU SCI-TECH PARK in Shanghai. The Field Lab JAIN PAN-SHU SCI-TECH PARK is a platform designed to bring together Dutch and Chinese companies to do business in the Shanghai region. The main goal is to promote innovation and collaboration to improve care for people with dementia using smart technological solutions. It offers Dutch product developers and researchers a collaborative space to validate and scale up their products, services and research to an international global market.
Dementia research in China
China’s active involvement in dementia care and research is making a positive impact on a global level. The country’s vast population also provides a unique opportunity for extensive research and data collection in the field of dementia and its capacity for large-scale manufacturing gives it the potential to become a global manufacturing hub for innovative solutions. This not only meets domestic demand, but also benefits the global market by ensuring a steady supply of high-quality and cost-effective dementia care products.
Other members of the Dutch delegation included: Health~Holland, Task Force Health Care, EnrafNonius, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Leiden University Medical centre (LUMC), WOLK, TU Eindhoven, MeduProf-s, Kokon, Cruyff Foundation en Orange Sports Forum.
