The National Technology Agency's "iWell - Well-being and Health" programme aims to commercialize technology that promotes well-being.

The "iWell - Well-being and Health" programme combines well-being and technology, so that product development and research projects will create as many well-being technological products as possible to satisfy the ever-increasing demand in this sector. The aim is also to develop new products that take into account the ageing of the population. There are over 100 companies involved in the programme and some thirty research units.

A recent example of a new well-being technological product is the Menumat automatic meal machine, which has been patented by Food Automation Finland Oy. A person can choose from a frozen meal selection at home what and when he or she eats - the machine prepares the food in a few minutes. Thanks to the new deep-freezing technology the taste, composition and consistency of the food remain excellent. No additives are needed at all, and the vitamins and other nutrients stay good. There are 60 main courses and 30 desserts on the Menumat menu, including dishes for those with special needs.

With a well-being bracelet developed by IST Oy it is possible to monitor the state of a person's activeness. The bracelet gives off an automatic alarm if deviations from normal values appear.

A wireless wellness monitor developed by the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT), as its name suggests, utilizes cordless communication technology (Bluetooth, GSM, WLAN, measuring technology (e.g. weight) and an intelligent home environment -thus helping the customer with his well-being questions - anywhere, anytime.

>> www.tekes.fi
>> www.menumat.fi

With a well-being bracelet it is possible to monitor the state of a person's activeness.