In July, a researcher from the University of Bologna, stepped into the dynamic realm of AUTH Infrastructures, and specifically AUTH Living Environment Simulation, to conduct his research study, named “IoT-MH project - Privacy and Data Protection Challenges Affecting Internet of Things for Mental Health: Comparative Perspectives and Pathways for Soft Regulation in Europe and Canada”.
During his three-week stay, Richard actively participated in FTTP activities and workshops, and the Living Lab staff shared with him invaluable insights on relevant projects, particularly those delving into IoT applications for mental health. The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with selected researchers of the AUTH Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab, who have experience in developing and using IoT- enabled mental health applications. The primary objective of those interviews was to collect information about the empirical experiences of experts, in particular on how they cope with privacy and data protection-related legal, ethical and technological challenges affecting end- users, as well as trust issues. The interviews unveiled a spectrum of experiences, shedding light on trust-building, systems architecture considerations, and security challenges inherent in the design and deployment of IoT-enabled telehealth devices and applications. The focus? How these factors shape privacy and personal data protection in the ever-evolving landscape of mental health services. This exploration wasn't confined to the present; it peered into the future, probing expectations for soft regulations governing IoT-enabled telehealth and smart home devices. The Living Lab's researchers played a pivotal role, offering indispensable insights into the challenges faced in developing and testing IoT devices for mental health—legal uncertainties, security risks, and data management complexities.
AUTH Living Environment Simulation consists of a room that resembles a real house kitchen and living room. The room is equipped with home appliances and furniture so as to better resemble an older adult’s home. There are also monitoring devices installed (e.g. 3D depth sensor camera, fish eye camera). ThessAHALL Living Lab aims mainly to foster initiatives encouraging regional development and healthcare systems sustainability by the provision of novel technologies and innovation. It is actively engaged with the end-users and relevant community stakeholders, actively pursuing co-creation and co-design of technological solutions to improve health and social conditions and facilitate independent living. In this setting, the AUTH Living Environment Simulation provided an optimal space for the external researcher of the "IoT-MH" project to conduct several interviews and delve into a wide range of critical challenges and insights related to IoT-enabled mental health applications and devices.
The visiting researcher’ interviews with the experts shed light on privacy challenges and trust issues in developing and deploying IoT devices and applications. The Living Lab's input was crucial in understanding specific concerns like legal uncertainties and security risks in the IoT devices for mental health realm.