Singapore Management University and Tata Consultancy Services’ iCity Lab SHINESeniors Project Wins 2019 SuperNova Award

Recognized in the AI and Augmented Humanity Category, SMU-TCS iCity Lab’s SHINESeniors Project Uses Algorithms and Digital Technologies and Aligns with the Concept of Citizen-centric Intelligent Cities

SINGAPORE, November 26, 2019: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, and the Singapore Management University (SMU), announced that the SMU-TCS iCity Lab’s SHINESeniors project has emerged as the winner of the AI & Augmented Humanity category at the 9th annual SuperNova Awards by Constellation Research, Inc. on 6 November 2019.

The Constellation SuperNova Awards celebrate the leaders and teams who have overcome the odds to successfully apply emerging and disruptive technologies to transform their businesses. The award for the AI and Augmented Humanity category is presented to organizations and individuals who make effective use of machines that possess the intelligence and learning capabilities of humans for better organizational outcomes.

“We are humbled to win the award, and are thankful for all the support from TCS, the caregiver network and all other parties involved who helped us bring this project to life. Augmented Humanity – or how technology is used to join person and machine – perfectly describes how in SHINESeniors, elderly individuals live their day-to-day lives in harmony with unobtrusive in-home sensors, and as a result, community caregivers are equipped with data-driven insights accessible immediately through their day-to-day personal devices to improve caregiving,” said Dr. Tan Hwee Pink, SMU-TCS iCity Lab’s Academic Director and Associate Professor of Information Systems at SMU.

“This year’s SuperNova Awards were more competitive than ever, and the category of Artificial Intelligence is one of the most complicated categories to win. The pioneering assisted living solution shows what amazing work humanity can accomplish when we bring technology, a noble mission and caring people together to craft care for the elderly. Professor Tan’s and TCS' work to provide care and personalization at scale enables future models to be created by others. We congratulate him and his team for designing the future of “Wellness and Living,” said Ray Wang, Principal Analyst and Founder, Constellation Research, Inc.

The SMU-TCS iCity Lab’s SHINESeniors project was developed to address the challenge of a rapidly ageing population in Singapore and designed to cater to the diverse needs of stakeholders, from seniors to caregivers. This is embodied by the Assisted Living Platform (ALP), one of the technology platforms that the SMU-TCS iCity Lab developed together with TCS. The ALP consists of sensors, a Smart Data Hub to store the data, custom-built Internet of Things (IoT) middleware, and an algorithm layer to dynamically analyze the data with a variety of machine learning approaches.

By using community assistance through a caregiver network that includes volunteers from GoodLife!, Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities, the former Eastern Health Alliance and NTUC Health, the ALP combines sensor-enabled homes, personalized home care and a medicine adherence care model to control costs, while still enabling the last-mile human touch.

The implementation of a discreet mode of tracking is a key priority of the SHINESeniors project to enable the elderly to live comfortably and independently while retaining a safety net – without feeling they are being monitored. The ALP features unobtrusive sensors which closely map daily activities and generate system events based on periods of movement, rest, and ingestion of medication. In case of divergent data patterns, timely alerts tip-off community caregivers, who can step in to provide support. Monitoring is managed through dashboards, a portal for administrators, and a mobile app to alert caregivers if a situation requires intervention.

Over a three-year period, the ALP was installed in 90 homes of ageing citizens living alone. Based on the data captured by the sensors, a distinctive pattern emerges for each person. A narrative of their daily lives is created, which helps the team understand what is normal and typical and deliver the right care at the right time. The research team uses machine learning algorithms to predict cases of mild cognitive impairment, nocturia, and social isolation in the elderly, which can trigger the need for early assistance or intervention.

“TCS is pleased that the SMU-TCS iCity Lab has been recognized with this prestigious award,” said K Ananth Krishnan, Chief Technology Officer, TCS. “We believe that the central learning from SHINESeniors, that is the use of user-centric design and the power of technology to drive exceptional experiences, lays the foundation for innovation in many future contexts.”

 

SMU media contact:

Singapore

Teo Chang Ching

Email: ccteo [at] smu.edu.sg

Phone: +65 68280451

 

 

TCS media contacts:

Asia Pacific

Charlene Lee

Email: charlene.lee [at] tcs.com ()

Phone: +65 9138 4370