On September 15, 2020, the “Health, Ageing, Technology” (GAT) Research Institute will officially launch the new VATI Navigator at https://vati-navigator.de/.

VATI stands for “Trust in Assistive Technologies for the Inclusion” of older adults and aims to make it easier for the older generation and their families to live independently at home through the use of assistive technologies, thereby enabling active participation in social life.

VATI is also designed to enable local tradespeople and other small and medium-sized businesses in the region to market such products in a way that attracts public attention. The underlying idea is that companies from the region have a better understanding of the needs of local residents. VATI serves to provide unbiased information to the public—we do not sell anything.

The VATI Technology Navigator was developed as part of the research project of the same name, which was funded from 2014 to 2017 by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under the SILQUA (“Social Innovations for Quality of Life in Old Age”) funding program.

What's New?

The new VATI Navigator was expanded in 2019–2020 with financial support from the Saxon Ministry of Science and the Arts (SMWK) and now welcomes users with a thoroughly revamped, modern, and user-friendly design.

In addition to technical aids, the platform now also includes services related to age-appropriate housing, mobility aids, care and health technology, and other services for older adults. Organizations that advise older adults on care and other issues related to aging are now also accessible via the VATI Navigator.

The technology advisory service is also linked to the AAL Lab—also operated by the GAT Institute—located in the Frauenburgkarree complex of KommWohnen Görlitz, which provides on-site technology consulting in cooperation with Saxony⁵.

The results of a short online survey (3 minutes) will be used to continuously improve the Navigator. We also welcome feedback at vati@hszg.de.