Thematic Session 13

THEMATIC SESSION #13

Sara Casaccia

Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy

• s.casaccia@staff.univpm.it

Gian Marco Revel

Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy

• gm.revel@staff.univpm.it

Milena Martarelli

Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy

• m.martarelli@staff.univpm.it

Sara Meletani

Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy

• meletani.sara@gmail.com

As the global population ages, the rising prevalence of chronic and degenerative diseases is placing significant strain on healthcare systems and budgets. These conditions not only lead to direct healthcare costs but also create an ongoing need for diverse levels of care and support.

Digitalization presents tangible opportunities to enhance healthcare services, especially in the context of active and assisted living (AAL). One key advancement is remote monitoring, which allows healthcare teams to monitor seniors' health conditions in real-time. This approach enables the integration of various measurement techniques with advanced Artificial Intelligence algorithms, providing a comprehensive and up-to-date clinical picture that minimizes the risk of decision-making errors and ensures timely interventions.

This Thematic Session aims to bring together researchers and developers working on innovative solutions for managing the care of vulnerable and aging populations, whether they are living at home, residing in Residential Care Homes, or temporarily staying in hospitals, as well as supporting both formal and informal caregivers. We encourage contributions that explore the development of advanced devices, sensors, and Artificial Intelligence algorithms aimed designed to enhance both the quality of care and the overall quality of life of residents and caregivers. Of particular interest are technical solutions addressing critical needs such as risk assessment (e.g., exposure to pollutants, fall detection) and emergency event management (e.g., fire safety).

The list of topics includes the following ones:

• sensors and sensor network to monitor health and quality of life;
• age-friendly environment;
• wearable and non-contact measurements;
• measurement systems for dementia and mild cognitive impairment;
• A/R and V/R for aging well;
• assistive robotics;
• Artificial Intelligence for AAL.

Sara Casaccia is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Industrial Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (DIISM) of Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM). Her research focuses on sensors and measurement techniques for supporting people in life environments (e.g. comfort, wellbeing), data processing to extract complex information (e.g. using AI), sensors for health, buildings and industrial applications.

Gian Marco Revel (is Full Professor in Mechanical and Thermal Measurement at Università Politecnica delle Marche, where he is Rector Delegate for European Research. He received the Ph.D. degree in mechanical measurements from Università degli Studi di Padova in 1998. His research focuses on sensors and measurement technologies for buildings, health and industrial applications, with a particular focus on comfort and human behaviour and diagnostics.

Milena Martarelli is Associate Professor at the Università Politecnica delle Marche and the Director of the Research Centre CARMELO (Center for Advanced Research on Measurements for Engineering and Life Optimization). Her scientific activity is in the field of mechanical and thermal measurement systems, mechanical vibrations and structural dynamics, acoustics and diagnostics by means of non-invasive measurement systems (e.g. Laser Doppler vibrometry, ultrasonics, vision-based systems in different wavelength domains).

Sara Meletani is a Research Fellow at the Department of Industrial Engineering and mathematical Sciences Università Politecnica delle Marche. Her research activities are focused on physiological signal processing and measurement techniques for health and well-being monitoring.