The University of Barcelona is taking part in an innovative project led by the Althaia Foundation and the Catalan company AiMA Beyond Artificial Intelligence, aimed at developing a virtual assistant that supports older adults and helps reduce unwanted loneliness, thereby improving their quality of life and emotional well-being.

The project originated from the Open Innovation Challenge organised by ACCIÓ (the Government of Catalonia’s Agency for Business Competitiveness, within the Department of Business and Labour) as part of the Health Revolution Congress 2024. It has led to the creation of AiMA, an intelligent and empathetic digital companion capable of speaking, seeing, listening and remembering. Through a screen similar to a television, the assistant offers conversation and reminders, detects changes in health status and alerts caregivers when necessary — with the aim of reducing social isolation and preventing health complications associated with loneliness.

The University of Barcelona, through the Gerontology Research Group led by Professor Feliciano Villar, is collaborating in the scientific validation of the project, a key phase to assess its effectiveness in real-life settings such as residential homes, hospital units and home care environments. This pilot study, carried out in collaboration with the Suara cooperative, will establish the foundations of a replicable model for other social and healthcare contexts.

“Scientific validation of the results is essential to ensure that the proposed solutions are effective and can be safely and efficiently implemented,” says Bartomeu Ayala, Head of Health and Social Innovation at Althaia.

The project stems from the identification of a structural issue: 63% of people receiving home care through Althaia were experiencing loneliness or social isolation, a situation that negatively affected their health and adherence to treatment. This prompted the creation of a virtual assistant designed to foster natural and empathetic interaction with users.

Through this collaboration, the University of Barcelona strengthens its commitment to innovation in health and social well-being, contributing—through research in psychology and active ageing—to the design of technological solutions that enhance people’s lives and promote a more connected and inclusive society.