Visit from the Smart Aging Research Center of Tohoku University in Dresden

Dresden, December 18 - To deepen the German-Japanese research cooperation, the Digital Health research group at TU Dresden hosted the renowned researcher Toshimi Ogawa from the Smart Aging Research Center (SARC) at Tohoku University, Japan. 

The meeting focused on advances in virtual coaching and patient portals as well as current TU Dresden projects on digitally-assisted habit formation, and the use of Embodied Conversational Agents to collect Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs).

A central element of the research collaboration is the investigation of cultural differences in the implementation of habits and behavioral changes, as well as the disclosure of sensitive health information. The experience of the SARC and its extensive network within the medical faculty of the University of Tohoku are invaluable for examining these issues in an intercultural context, but also for benefiting from the respective developments.

The two institutions have agreed on targeted cooperation in research and development for the future. The aim is to develop innovative approaches that can be applied both in Dresden and in Japan. This visit not only lays the foundation for a fruitful partnership, but also contributes significantly to joint projects in the field of global smart aging research.