In the realm of care and well-being, LiCalab stands out as a pioneering Living Lab, offering a unique “Living Lab as a Service” model. This approach empowers organisations and businesses by providing comprehensive support in Living Lab research, with a focus on caring technology and collaborative models within care settings.
LiCalab’s story began with an initiative by the city of Turnhout, Belgium, to develop a new urban area with a strong emphasis on care and innovation. Recognising the potential for citizen engagement, the city partnered with Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, regional businesses and care and wellbeing organisations to form a think tank. This collaborative effort led to the concept of a community Living Lab, designed to integrate citizen input into the development of care solutions.
Vicky, from LiCalab, explains, “The working group wanted to involve the citizens that were going to live in that area (now called ‘Niefhout’) […] they came up with the concept of a community Living Lab for Health and Well-being […] thinking okay, what do we need for this community Living Lab.”
The focus remained on community involvement and citizen participation, ensuring that the Living Lab’s activities were deeply rooted in the needs and perspectives of the people it served.
The Living Lab approach was chosen to bridge the gap between businesses and care organizations, addressing the challenges posed by an aging population. Ingrid, from LiCalab, notes, “There was a need for more technological innovation and therefore we needed those businesses to be closer to care organisations. But it’s not easy, care organisations are sometimes reluctant to have them in. So, with us being there to facilitate it, that was easier for both the businesses and the care organisations.”
LiCalab acts as a neutral facilitator, enabling collaboration and driving technological innovation in the care sector. Businesses saw the community Living Lab as an opportunity to involve citizens in shaping their healthcare solutions. Vicky elaborates, “They thought it would be beneficial to have a community Living Lab nearby and the citizens being innovators, giving their feedback on what they might develop as businesses.”
Drawing inspiration from examples in Finland, the founders recognized the potential of citizens as innovators in care.
LiCalab distinguished itself by adopting a structural approach rather than being solely project-based. Ingrid emphasizes, “Our goal was to establish a sustainable Living Lab, which was based on the methodologies and on the services that we could provide, not just within a single project, but on a broader scale, supporting businesses, care organisations, and local authorities.”
This commitment to a broader, more sustainable model allowed LiCalab to strengthen the ecosystem of various actors, fostering open innovation and real-life implementation.
One notable success story is LiCalab’s collaboration with Moonbird, a company focused on addressing sleeping problems. LiCalab helped Moonbird refine its market approach, identify target groups, and understand the value proposition for each in the CrossCare-project ‘Welgerust’.
Vicky recalls, “We really supported them a lot during their start-up phase to explore the value they could bring to different target groups […] That was valuable complementary information we could offer for their own research.”
The project not only supported Moonbird but also catalysed the creation of an ecosystem involving pharmacists, hospitals, and general practitioners, all working together to address the broader challenge of sleep disorders.
Not all projects achieve the desired outcomes, and LiCalab recognises the importance of learning from these experiences. While success stories like Moonbird demonstrate the potential of Living Labs, failures offer equally valuable lessons. LiCalab’s involvement in a “medication at home” concept with the regional postal company, faced challenges. The intention was to leverage the postal service’s existing infrastructure to deliver medication to people’s homes, particularly benefiting older, less mobile individuals. However, the project faced challenges, showing how hard it can be to add new services to existing systems and why it’s important to understand user needs and regulatory requirements. This experience underscores the value of Living Labs as spaces for experimentation, where failures can provide valuable insights and drive future innovation.
Central to LiCalab’s success is its effective panel management, ensuring that citizens are actively involved in projects and research. Leen, from LiCalab, explains, “As a panel manager, we can ask citizens specific questions, like whether they want to join a project on sleep problems.”
This direct engagement allows LiCalab to gather valuable insights and feedback, ensuring that solutions are tailored to the needs of the community.
LiCalab recognizes the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing within the Living Lab community. By actively participating in networks like the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL), LiCalab strengthens its capabilities and expands its reach. Engagement with ENoLL facilitates the exchange of best practices, access to a broader network of experts, and opportunities for collaborative projects, further enhancing LiCalab’s ability to drive innovation in care and well-being.
As a research group within Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, LiCalab not only fosters innovation but also ensures a strong scientific foundation in its approach. By using validated research methods, data-driven insights, and rigorous testing, LiCalab guarantees reliable and evidence-based results. This scientific focus helps refine new healthcare solutions, making them more impactful and user-friendly. LiCalab’s research bridges the gap between theory and real-world application. This commitment to scientific methods strengthens the impact and credibility of its Living Lab services.
LiCalab’s journey highlights the power of collaboration, citizen engagement, and a structural approach to Living Lab services and user design research. By bridging gaps between businesses, care organizations, and citizens, LiCalab is creating a dynamic ecosystem that drives meaningful innovation in the care sector. The impact of their approach can be seen in enhanced user-focused solutions, improved organisation of healthcare, and stronger partnerships, all helping to improve people’s lives.
This article is based on an interview conducted by Andrada Barață after the first Deep Dive Session, which was held on October 18th, 2023. The interviewees were: Ingrid Adriaensen, Business Manager at LiCalab; Vicky Van der Auwera, Research Manager at LiCalab; and Leen Broeckx, Panel Manager at LiCalab.
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