Thessaloniki Action for HeAlth and Wellbeing Living Lab

The Thessaloniki Action for HeAlth & Wellbeing Living Lab (Thess-AHALL) – previously Thessaloniki Active & Healthy Ageing Living Lab, operational since 2014, is a unique research and innovation setting in the City of Thessaloniki, Region of Central Macedonia (Northern Greece). The living lab fosters initiatives encouraging regional development and sustainability of novel technologies in the Health & Wellbeing domain, focusing on the physical, mental, as well as social health, the Active & Healthy Ageing (AHA) and the enhancement of the Quality of Life. The Thess-AHALL is actively pursuing co-creation and co-design of technological solutions to improve health and social conditions for older adults, chronic patients & other vulnerable populations and facilitate independent living, as well as to up-skill and empower the current and future healthcare workforce. 

During the last 12 years, Thess-AHALL, powered & governed by the AUTH Lab of Medical Physics & Digital Innovation, has undertaken several initiatives related to citizens science & participatory research actions in close collaboration with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the City of Thessaloniki and other affiliated entities of the local ecosystem, which are active in the field of Responsible Research, Social & Digital Innovation with a special interest in the Health & Wellbeing. In this context, the Thess-AHALL has relaunched its Living Lab activities since spring 2022, joining all the involved entities of its ecosystem under a coalition scheme, which approaches health & wellbeing in a holistic way. More specifically, the new Thess-AHALL coalition expands its activities from the AHA field to the oncology-focused LL research, the agri-food sector, as well as the urban resilience & environmental change, the mass communication and culture (art, museums, libraries). which act as drivers to enhance health & wellbeing within the metropolitan area of Thessaloniki. The Thess-AHALL becomes the vehicle to open the University to its citizens & transform the entire city into an experimentation & innovation playground (urban living lab) to address societal & health challenges with and for the society.

Areas of work:

• Culture and Creativity (Creative Sectors)
• Education and/or Vocational Training
• Emerging Technologies (e.g. AI, AR/VR)
• Environment/Climate Change
• Health and Well Being
• Media
• Smart Cities and Regions
• Social Innovation and Inclusion