The AAL Joint Programme's very first Project award was a popular competition attracting a large number of projects and a large audience to the plenary session on Monday 26 September during the AAL Forum in Lecce.

ExCITE was awarded as the most promising project of the AAL JP thanks to its product Giraffe, a robotic telepresence operated by the carer enabling social interaction with the older person through a low cost audio visual device.

The first edition of the AAL Forum's award recognized the project that would demonstrate great promise in terms of innovation, human-centric approaches to development and market potential. Four finalists were selected from a panel of experts together with ExCITE project. They were: CAPMOUSE, presenting a handsfree interactio tool through the use of the tongue; HOPES, presenting a device enabling elderly to monitor their health and live more independently; IS-ACTIVE, a project developing inertial systems for monitoring advanced chronic conditions.

The ExCITE project developed Giraff, a mobile telepresence device - Skype on wheels as it has been dubbed. It allows anyone, a family member, a friend, aprofessional care giver or even a doctor or a nurse to be able to virtually enter the home over the internet and conducta natural visit there just as if they wereactually coming to the door. It’s certainly a novel approach to communication with the elderly and the bright blue device catches the eye. Stephen Von Rump, founder and CEO of Giraff technology is convinced older people will benefit a great dealfrom its presence in the home, whilecare givers and family members will alsofeel the benefits.“We know for sure that social connectivity and avoiding isolation and loneliness is a major part of elderly care and in fact even contributes to physical well-being as well as emotional and mental wellbeing,” he explained. “So the goal of the Giraff is to improve quality of life in the home and to extend the time that elderly people can remain in their own home safely and independently by allowing more people to participate in the care process. So that’s what i tmeans for the user, for the people in the home and those that care for them, it’s all about quality of life.”