From September 21st to 22nd, our team had the privilege of attending the 13th edition of Open Living Lab Days (OLLD), an annual event hosted by the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL). This year’s event was held in Barcelona and centered on the theme of Living Labs as catalysts for transformation, highlighting their role in driving the ongoing transition. These Living Labs serve as spaces that enable us to shape and reshape the present while addressing the digital, social, and environmental transitions we are currently facing. This is achieved through the dissemination of knowledge, societal engagement, and active participation of companies.
‘Test-before-Invest’
In this inspiring context, the Mental Health Cluster together with Ambit Cluster, Kid’s Cluster, Foodservice Cluster, and Grup Saltó (MHC member) participated to actively engage in the ‘Test-before-Invest’ session. The discussion focused the significance of Living Labs that stem from these clusters, providing a distinctive methodology for their partners. Within these Living Labs, they have the opportunity to collaboratively design and test innovations, effectively reducing risks and sidestepping substantial upfront investments. This approach not only fosters innovation but also enhances the competitive edge of Catalan companies on the global arena.
During the session, Jordi Cabau, CTO of Grup Saltó, and Marta Sánchez-Bret, MHC’s manager, underscored the significant influence of the Care & Autonomy Living Lab (CALL). They highlighted its pivotal role in the inception of the EudaimonIA project, which originated during a Living Lab Day conference focused on senior autonomy. This project revolves around the deployment of care robots in elderly care homes, showcasing how Living Labs can inspire innovative solutions in the field.
Networking and inspiration
Undoubtedly, this gathering provided an excellent opportunity for inspiration and knowledge exchange with other Living Labs, in addition to fostering connections with their leadership teams.
This experience has further solidified our dedication to enhancing the quality and impact of our endeavors in the realms of autonomy, mental health, neurosciences, and aging, all within the CALL framework.
We are enthusiastic about leveraging the newfound insights to propel meaningful and practical advancements and innovations. Moreover, we are eager to formalize our aspiration of becoming part of the EnoLLL network, allowing us to contribute our CALL methodology in a cross-cutting manner to European projects.
