The second newsletter of our Digi-Sporting Erasmus+ project is now published.

You can check it out here:
http://www.cs.ucy.ac.cy/seit/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/DIGI-SPORTING-2nd-NL.html

PROJECT ISSA – INTERNATIONALISATION FOR SOCIAL AND INNOVATIVE START UP’S AND ENTREPRENEURS

Since October 2019, five entities coming from Norway, Spain, Cyprus, Greece and Bulgaria are working on the Erasmus+ project ISSA – ” Internationalization for Social and Innovative Start Up’s and Entrepreneurs” is an Erasmus+ project designed to identify core and innovative learning methods that best encourage success in international activities for start-ups and entrepreneurs”. Under the coordination of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the partnership will strive to identify core and innovative learning methods that best encourage success in international activities for start-ups and entrepreneurs. After the two years of duration of the project, the consortium of ISSA expects to contribute to solve the special needs of start-ups and entrepreneurs by designing and making available an innovative self-training modules and virtual learning platform.

 

Currently, the partnership of the project is working on field research and analysing the competences of the social entrepreneurs in order to identify the training content. The EntreComp framework (Bacigalupo et al., 2016) serves as a foundation for the competences included in the ISSA project, both by using two of its competences and by adapting the framework in the presentation of the social competences applied in the project. This document therefore refers to a large degree to the work by Bacigalupo and colleagues (2016), and a more thorough presentation of the framework is found in their report.

From the field research report conducted by ISSA, the following four competences were identified as the most prominent for social entrepreneurs in an internationalisation process:

• Spotting opportunities;
• Mobilising resources;
• Ability to identify social problems;
• Cultural awareness.

 

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Press Release #1	Newsletter #1	Leaflet

ESticky is configured as a digital post-it able to communicate information and transmit notifications.

In the last meeting held by the partners it was possible to analyze and discuss the 9 essential characters that make up the morphology of the device, such as the display – evaluating its size and brightness – the insertion of a LED light to visually reinforce the message or the expected energy consumption.

Dwelling on how the eSticky box must be assembled is an essential element for good operation. If the device is not designed and optimized for the established purpose, it will be not very adaptive and will not be able to offer the requested help. This design phase is delicate, and each partner has contributed energetically to ensure that the product has a positive outcome. Choosing to be able to implement acoustic or light devices in the system to reinforce the meaning of the message is a valid help. 

In light of the considerations that emerged from the eSticky team meeting, it is necessary to collaborate to achieve high performance.

The eSticky project is proceeding at full speed and the researches oriented to its functioning are more and more precise.

One of the aspects that deserves attention is the application of industrial design, the purpose of which is to be able to optimize ergonomic and functional systems and products through the use of “scientific design”. Designing an aesthetically pleasing product, through a highly technical design, allows you to create quality products with a decidedly positive feedback.

It should be emphasized that, in projects such as eSticky, good design and good usability are the undisputed protagonists in making the user experience enjoyable, especially if the products are aimed at elderly people with problems related to the functioning of memory.

Helping those suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia is possible, but a substantial technological, social and communicative effort must be made so that these people can preserve their autonomy in daily actions: thanks to the development of eSticky simple routine gestures, such as hiring a medication, they will never take a back seat.

The first newsletter of our Digi-Sporting Erasmus+ project is now published. You can read it here: http://www.cs.ucy.ac.cy/seit/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/DIGI-SPORTING-Newsletter.html

The purpose of the device is to be able to convey information clearly and transparently to people with memory impairments, but the project also symbolizes more.

The interface becomes a second skin, and the display is not perceived as an external body.

This consideration opens the reflection to an even more effective and inclusive communication plan.

The realization of a European project requires that the communicative aspect be studied in detail: not only for the possibility of being able to choose the language with which to interact through the device, but also, and above all, for the technological and social relevance that development of this device represents.

The communication strategy is the strong point in an international project since it is only as a function of an effective communication plan that it is possible to understand and what are the advantages deriving from the digital post-it.

In June, the partners proudly reached the first objectives of the project, also choosing the communication systems suitable for the dissemination of the project’s purpose, outlining challenges and opportunities belonging to the communicative sphere.

Focusing on the design phase and building a solid system architecture is crucial for the success of a product. The aim of the eSticky project is to support people with memory problems, so that they can maintain their autonomy of life. In order to develop a functional and safe device, it is of primary importance to conceive a strong and robust hardware structure that can ensure the operation of the device. Another element to be developed with extreme attention is the software platform, which makes device activity possible.

The technology chosen to design the digital post-it is User Friendly.

This solution offers an immediate and simplified interface with intuitive operation, thus involving the user; in this project it is necessary to enhance the simplicity of the device since it must represent a help for those who use it, and must not generate confusion or further problems. ESticky technology chooses the user-friendly navigation mode with the aim of being an efficient tool: from minimalist and captivating aesthetics to error reporting with easily understandable visual language.

The European project Digi-Sporting: A new step towards digital transformation through sports science (2019-1-ES01-KA203-065505) held its second Translational Project Meeting, between all the partners. Due to the Corona-Virus world crisis, the meeting was held Online.

The meeting was initially scheduled for May 7 in Cyprus. Nevertheless, due to the current situation, which makes it impossible to hold meetings and travel, the consortium has quickly adjusted to an Online version, on the same date.

The meeting was successful and the next steps of the project were discussed and defined.

Please stay tuned for the project’s website, coming in the next weeks. In the website the first result of the project will be published, a guide to the application of new technologies and the needs of professionals in clubs and academies.

Recall that the objective of this project is to reduce the distance between technology and sports clubs, providing tools that allow knowing the possibilities offered by new technologies for their work, their accessibility, and offering training resources to improve their adaptation.

Reference: http://igoid.uclm.es/digi-sporting-no-para-segunda-reunion-internacional/

With the health emergency, the traditional kick off meeting was held online thanks to the Skype platform! 

The seven partners involved in the creation of eSticky, despite the difficulties, carry out the project that helps people with memory disorders to remember.

E-Sticky, in fact, is proposed as an innovative product; the ambition is to become a point of reference in the European context. During this first meeting, the work areas of the various partners were defined and the objectives to be achieved were identified.

The project is ambitious and involves various processes including the management part, industrial design, user involvement, etc.

The protagonists of the project, with the lead company HICS, come from different sectors and will contribute through a stimulating collaboration to the realization of the project.

HICS

It operates in the “Smart Living” sector with solutions that facilitate daily life. Among its main projects, the HICSPERIENCE product line is designed to simplify the interaction of Home and Building Automation systems and Internet of Thing solutions.

will guide the marketing of the final product, coordinating the entire project.

KI-I

Austrian company deals with the improvement of the living conditions of people with disabilities and the elderly.

He will work on the design of the user interface, the development of the web portal and smartphone apps.

UNIVERSITY of CYPRUS

UCY deals with research in the fields of Software Engineering, Internet and Mobile Technologies, e-Health and e-Learning. In this project, UCY provides its knowledge and experience regarding middleware platforms.

HARPO

It is a Polish research center that deals with assistive technology for people with disabilities. It will guide user engagement processes and, through the monitoring and evaluation of user tests, will constantly provide feedback.

ASSISTENZ 24 

Non-profit organization that administers a wide range of assistance services, with particular attention to people with mental and physical disabilities. A24 will mainly deal with User Involvement activities.

WERNER DAXBERGER

He is an Austrian product designer with a long experience in the design of aesthetic products. In the eSticky project, Werner Daxberger will design an effective and successful product.

X-VISIONS

Gerd Rosenauer is a product designer. Since 2000, as an independent entrepreneur, he has been taking care of clients with particular attention to technical implementation in the design process. With Werner Daxberger he will take care of the Industrial Design activities.