Activity profile: Expertise offered (AAL Call 3) for accompanying social science research

The iso-Institut in Saarbrücken/Germany is a social science research institute that has gained experience for many years in the field of care, organizational, technological and institutional changes in the working environment and their effects on societies. We have carried out numerous studies for German Ministries such as the German Ministry for health and the German Ministry for Education and Research.

The iso-Institut is lead by Prof. Dr. Daniel Bieber whose main fields of expertise are non-technical success factors of technical innovations, future technologies: premises and consequences, organizational and social changes in the wake of demographic transition. He is honorary professor at the institute of sociology at the Ruprecht-Karls-University in Heidelberg. There are about 20 research associates working at the institute who cover various research fields such as sociology, social work, health services research, political science, nursing science.

Current projects are “Technologies and Services in the Wake of Demographic Change” (www.dienstleistungundtechnik.de) and “Person-related services using the example of rare diseases” (www.pb-dl.de). The former is a funding activity of the Ministry for Education and Research where 15 project consortia are involved. The project consortia develop and research about AAL-solutions and services (e.g. Smart home, microsystems) for the elderly and for health care professionals. The iso-Institut conducts the meta project which analyses the results of the project consortia and generates deeper insights and knowledge of innovations integrating AAL technologies and new services. The iso-Institut focuses especially on user acceptance and involvement as well as business models combining the provision of services and technologies. The latter project about person-related services deals with the special needs and challenges of persons who suffer from rare and severe diseases. One research question focuses on the role of technological devices within the process of health service provision. The iso-Institute accompanies the three project consortia, identifying cross-sectional issues and promoting the importance of further research.

Focus of our current research activities:

-          Analysis of user user needs and aspects of user acceptance as to AAL-solutions; integration of user needs along the whole value creation chain

-          Models of promotion and financing of innovative AAL-technologies and services

-          Analysis of market potential and sustainability of AAL-solutions

-          Questions of political and institutional governance

The iso-Institut conducts research projects on the basis a profound methodological expertise as to qualitative as well as quantitative research methods likewise.

Due to our long-term research experience in the care sector, we have established lasting national networks with professional and political experts from various fields.

We are interested in finding international research partners for common applications (AAL Call 3)

Our contributions could be accompanying social research with a special focus on aspects of social interaction as well as on the user perspective/acceptance.