Embracing Ethics in Innovation: SHAPES Project Pioneered the Future of Smart & Healthy Ageing

In the realm of smart and healthy ageing, innovation is the key. But amidst the rush for progress, SHAPES Innovation Action (IA) stood out for its commitment to ethical integrity.

At its core, The Smart & Healthy Ageing through People Engaging in Supportive Systems (SHAPES) project aimed to build, pilot, and deploy a cutting-edge, EU-standardized open platform. Laurea University of Applied Sciences had a major role as the project ethics leader in a consortium of 36 organizations spanning 14 countries, spearheaded by the ALL (Assisting Living & Learning) Institute at the University of Maynooth, Ireland, the €20M Horizon 2020 project aimed to set new benchmarks for collaborative innovation.  

The SHAPES consortium consisted of researchers, technology companies, civil society and public organisations that aimed at helping older people to continue living healthy and active lives both at home and within their communities.  Laurea University of Applied Sciences played a pivotal role in this endeavor, particularly in ensuring ethical integrity throughout the project lifecycle.

According to Ms. Sari Sarlio-Siintola, SHAPES Ethics Manager and Project Manager at Laurea ethics and rights-based approach were an essential components of the SHAPES innovation action:  

– In that vein, ethics is not a burden. Rather, ethics can be perceived as an approach to create better innovations and more value to the whole society. For example by applying  ethical requirements in the design of the solutions we can promote inclusion & equal opportunities  of  older persons (also with disabilities)  to participate in research, and to choose and use services according their own informed choice, Sarlio-Siintola says.

–  Finally, in a multicultural, multinational, and multilingual environment, fostering ethical understanding is crucial. Ethics work in projects like SHAPES can create an environment that promotes ethical understanding and inclusivity in these various contexts.  

In a world where the elderly population was rapidly growing, SHAPES represented a beacon of hope. By embracing ethics as a cornerstone of innovation, it paved the way for a future where ageing wasn't just about growing older but growing wiser and healthier.

Ethical competence and foresight competence are based on value choices and improve the quality of Laurea’s research and development work.

PROJECT DATA PROGRAMME: H2020-EU.3.1.4.1. – Active ageing, independent and assisted living and H2020-EU.2.1.1.3. – Future Internet: Software, hardware, infrastructures, Technologies and services. TYPE OF ACTION: Innovation Action DURATION: 48 months (1 nov 2019 – 31 oct 2023) PROJECT BUDGET: € 20 944 318,75 CONSORTIUM: 36 partners from 14 European countries COORDINATOR: Maynooth University

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