behind the magic mirror

The research group led by Juan Carlos López and María José Santofimia in Ciudad Real is finalizing the launch of a new digital tool aimed at health care for the elderly.

Having a smart mirror in the living room, a virtual assistant with which to make a video call with a family member, follow the instructions of health personnel or have household parameters such as temperature, electricity consumption or the opening of doors and windows controlled , it is no longer something that sounds like a futuristic fictional film. A large group of 24 researchers have been working on this for three years, headed by Juan Carlos López, professor at the Ciudad Real Higher School of Informatics, and María José Santofimia, tenured professor. A research project, called in its entirety 'Miratar' and under the particular title of 'Cyber-Physical Systems for the Economy of Cities' -CHASE-, which in the last call for the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan of Spain was has granted funding of 343.160 euros, the highest figure of all subsidized projects from the University of Castilla-La Mancha.

The Mitarar team has been working hard since before the pandemic on this pioneering initiative, which with this financing, from European Next Generation funds, receives a definite boost that will lead it to present its already refined product in 2023. A 'magical' mirror which already works experimentally in four homes in Portugal, one in Torrecampo and in the El Salvador nursing home in Pedroche, both municipalities in Cordoba. The next step will be to install it in almost thirty homes of patients in the Geriatric clinics of the Albacete and Getafe hospitals, who will have a tool that is currently being perfected and polished in the laboratories, offices and workshops of the Institute. of Information Systems Technology of the Ciudad Real Campus.