Image created by Brian O'Mullane, UCD School of Electrical, Electronic & Mechanical Engineering.
The TRIL (Technology Research for Independent Living) Centre, based in UCD is delighted to announce a new industry partner, GE Healthcare who will help TRIL to extend and expand its research programme. GE joins the TRIL Centre as its second industry partner for 2010, alongside co-founder Intel and academic partners University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin and NUI Galway. GE Healthcare is investing $3 million in the TRIL Centre.
“We are excited about welcoming a new industry partner with the technology expertise and stellar reputation of GE Healthcare,” says Dr Brian Caulfield, Academic Director of the TRIL Centre. “Their focus on innovative thinking and commitment to improving healthcare while reducing costs will make them a valuable contributor to our research efforts.”
TRIL is a groundbreaking research initiative, founded in January 2007 by Intel Corporation and the IDA Ireland (Industrial Development Agency), to explore the physical, cognitive and social consequences of ageing and design technologies to help address them.
A key goal of TRIL’s research is to enable older people to live independently in the homes of their choice for as long as possible, with the help of technology—and in the process, to help ease the strain on global healthcare systems as the world’s population ages. This objective aligns with GE Healthcare’s goal of continuously developing innovations focused on reducing costs, increasing access and improving quality and efficiency. Home health is a key business focus for GE Healthcare.
Commenting on the announcement, Agnes Berzsenyi, General Manager of GE Healthcare’s Home Health business says “We are delighted to be part of the TRIL Centre and to be involved in the groundbreaking research being done there. We are looking forward to working with TRIL to drive innovation in this emerging area and ultimately transforming the lives of elderly citizens.”
Over the last three years, more than 600 older adults have been assessed in the TRIL Clinic and a large number have participated in the TRIL technology home deployment programme. The commitment of GE Healthcare will enable TRIL to expand the pool of participants and build on the accomplishments of the first three years.
