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The School of Nursing and Midwifery at NUIG is focused on trying to maximise the outputs and impacts of the MARIO Project.

There is a unique opportunity to bring together stakeholders and experts to develop products that make a difference to the lives of people with dementia.

To this aim, Prof Kathy Murphy who leads the Communication and Impact creation activities of the project initiated the procedure that will eventually lead to an application to the Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Fund.

The aim of this is to improve the competitiveness of the Irish economy through the creation of technology based start-up companies and the transfer of innovations developed in higher education institutes and research organisations to industry in Ireland. 

Prof Murphy stated that she sees a unique opportunity to capitalise on the innovations introduced in MARIO: ‘Europe has the highest prevalence of dementia in the world. Seven million people are currently affected and this is projected to increase over the next number of years. 

There is growing awareness within Europe about the importance of empowering the person with dementia (PWD) within communities to promote social inclusion, enhance personhood and build resilience.

Less severe and even more widespread, loneliness, isolation and depression are becoming increasingly important within Social Care.

Caring service robot solutions can be used to increase psychological skills like resilience.

We are determined to build a success story that capitalises on the momentum that is developing around home robots in order to improve conditions of older people with dementia in the country and in Europe’, says Prof Murphy.