A total of 14 innovative, technology-based solutions were piloted in the Helsinki region to support the daily lives and well-being of vulnerable residents. The pilots were carried out in collaboration with the city units, specialists, and citizens.
The 14 innovative technology solutions piloted in Helsinki in 2024–2025 supported the well-being and daily lives of marginalised communities and their members. These pilots were part of the Horizon-funded CommuniCity project, which co-develops innovative technologies with cities, professionals, and residents. Over the course of the three-year project, a total of 101 pilots were organized in European cities to find solutions to locally identified needs. Of these, 26 were implemented in the Helsinki area.
The technology solutions were sought through three open calls, the last of which was the largest in terms of funding and presented challenges from 17 cities across Europe. Each pilot team selected for the final piloting round was granted a maximum of a €12,500 grant to develop and test their technology solution. The overall goal was to find technological innovations that met the needs of marginalized communities and increased digital inclusivity.
Well-being through smart monitoring
To ensure there is enough healthcare staff to secure the daily lives of the elderly, technological innovations are needed to support their work. Performance monitors that track the balance, sensors that monitor nighttime movement, and incontinence pads that anticipates the need for a toilet visit were three resource-efficient solutions that were experimented with in senior centers.
The performance monitors from Ain1 Oy, which were piloted in the exercise group at the Syystie Senior Center, provided information about the sense of balance of the elderly people. Based on the measurement results, physical therapists could recommend customised exercise routines for the elderly for maintaining and even improving their balance.
At the Töölö Senior Center, an application was piloted that collects data on nighttime toilet visits and getting out of bed. Based on the data, the staff received information about what kinds of movements trigger alarms and when a client needs staff support. Hoivita Oy has previously piloted a similar solution in Porto, Portugal, for the care of people with physical disabilities.
At the Kustaankartano Senior Center, a smart incontinence monitoring system was experimented in collaboration with clients with memory disorders who are unable to use the toilet independently. A sensor strip placed in a protective pad monitored the amount of fluid and anticipates toilet visits. The piloting aimed to determine what benefits the sensor strip could have in this use case. The team behind Urisens consists of students from Aalto University.
Innovative remote diagnostics
New technologies help target and enhance healthcare through innovative monitoring solutions. At the Tikkurila Health Station, an experiment was initiated to find out whether age-related hearing tests could be done faster and in a more client-friendly way. Otos Health Ltd.’s new hearing test system differs from its predecessors with more precise documentation and a shorter testing time, which allows for a more streamlined care pathway for hearing rehabilitation. The currently used age-related hearing tests are somewhat slow and laborious, considering how much they are needed as the population ages.
Cancer clinics have many routine measurements that must be handled before or during appointments and treatments. MedicubeX Ltd. and HUS Cancer Center piloted whether some of the measurements could be handled by patients themselves before appointments. The automated self-measurement station is the size of a phone booth and can measure things like blood pressure. The pilot explored how the self-measurement station fits into the Cancer Center’s processes and what patients think of it.
At the Neurology rehabilitation ward of HUS, wearable sensors were piloted to monitor the activity levels of patients in rehabilitation and their adherence to personal rehabilitation plans. The data from the sensors encouraged patients to both move toward their goals and get enough rest. This solution was jointly developed by Suomen Digitaalinen Tehdas Oy and Goodlife Technology Oy.
In addition, a method for measuring heart failure that uses a smartphone microphone was piloted in Spain. Eupnoos Oy’s solution measures the user’s breathing through the microphone and collects the data in an application. During the five-day monitoring period conducted in a hospital environment, the pilot team collected data through both measurements and qualitative interviews.
New skills for daily life and work
A city benefits when its residents learn new things and find the services intended for them. Two pilots helped citizens in finding circular economy-related services, and one helped in building IT-related skills.
The pilots conducted with the Urban Environment Division were related to circular economy services. Omni Audio created an application that works in 12 languages and uses audio to advise people on the go about where to find the nearest services and what they offer. It audibly guides users in finding nearby sustainable services such as shoemakers or libraries, and gives information on them. The guide improved the accessibility of sustainability and recycling services due to its language selection.
Meanwhile, Stereoscape Oy developed an easy-to-use website with information on Helsinki’s circular economy services and practices that support a sustainable lifestyle. The site is specifically aimed at immigrants, consolidating information that is otherwise difficult to find and scattered. The development process involved residents from the target user groups.
A new service developed for clients of Helsinki’s rehabilitative work activities also offered new knowledge. The “ICT-Bootcamp” is an online course that prepares participants for ICT studies and adapts to their goals and interests. Its various modules combine an introduction to work tasks, preparation for studies, practical learning, and reflection on their own learning. For clients in rehabilitative work activities, the online course enabled them to build a more personalized study path. Rojekto Oy’s solution promotes equal access to ICT education and strengthens professional skills, taking into account the individual abilities and needs of each participant.
Improving patient well-being and safety
In Aurora Hospital, the interior of two rooms was modified based on the needs of staff and patients. A space for patient isolation was turned into a sensory room where the wall was painted as a meadow landscape and a smart light mimicking the sun shone from the ceiling line. Patients also had the option of listening to nature sounds through speakers embedded in the wall. Another space, which also served as a reception room, was decorated with mosses and a green fabric ceiling to create a forest landscape, with nature sounds coming from a dead pine tree. Both sensory rooms supported patients’ emotional regulation, allowing them to calm down and relax, among other things. The soundscapes and implementation of the space were handled by TUNTU / Kelosound Oy.
At the Peijas and Suursuo hospitals, Atapley Europe Oy investigated what kind of content created for virtual reality (VR) glasses could benefit patients. Their VR solution offered patients a variety of experiential and calming content to choose from. Patients at the palliative care unit in Suursuo enjoyed active content, such as roller coasters and trolley rides, while psychiatric patients at Peijas were offered calming, nature-related virtual experiences.
At Ohkola Hospital, the object of the pilot was to find out whether motion-tracking sensors could increase the safety of both psychiatric patients and staff and ease the workload. The ceiling-mounted sensors monitored for anomalies in four patient rooms and alerted staff if necessary. Qumea Ab’s solution aims to increase the safety and well-being of both patients and staff.
Confidence and peace of mind from virtual reality
In recent years, training and rehabilitation services have become enthusiastic about the possibilities of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Three pilots utilise both of these.
The VR Cleaning Simulator designed for adults with intellectual disabilities helps in learning basic daily life skills, thereby strengthening self-esteem and independence. Clients of Disability Services’ virtual services got to practice cleaning skills like vacuuming in virtual reality. The goal of Stereoscape Oy’s virtual reality game was to strengthen the clients’ skills that support independent living.
Another virtual reality pilot by Stereoscape Oy offered psychiatric patients environments through VR glasses that support positive emotional regulation. Experience specialists who co-developed the solution noted that virtual nature themes help them relax and reduce anxiety. The pilot found that virtual environments can also be used before or after an anxiety-inducing situation. The feedback suggested that the solution utilising virtual environments should be developed and tested further.
The CommuniCity project conducted a total of 101 pilots, 26 of which were implemented in the Helsinki region and the rest in other European cities. The pilots brought cities and residents together to develop and pilot solutions that support vulnerable communities and individuals.