Vodafone has partnered with UK charity Mencap to launch an initiative that aims to improve the quality of life for people with learning disabilities through the use of technology,mobihealthnews reports.
During the past year, the Connected Living project has been trialled in 48 of Mencap’s supported living services in Hampshire, Sussex, Somerset, Cornwall, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Suffolk.
The aim is to make day-to-day tasks easier by putting IoT-enabled devices in homes, such as activity sensors and smart locks, which can be controlled by residents through an app called MyLife.
Designed with people with learning disabilities and their support workers, the initiative has been launched through Vodafone Business Ventures, the telecoms giant’s social enterprise division.
Around 1.5 million people in the UK are estimated to have a learning disability. Of these, approximately 350,000 are said to have a severe learning disability, and the figure is thought to be rising, according to the NHS.
