Smplicare, the Edinburgh-based start-up using AI to help older people live independently for longer, has landed £750,000 in funding.

The investment will be used to explore the use of commercially available wearable technologies, including Fitbit, Garmin and Polar, to predict the risk of falls and other age-related health issues.

As part of the study, 300 individuals over 55 years old with a recent history of falls will be given a mainstream wearable device to produce data that will enable the company to develop an AI-powered algorithm that can predict and proactively alert to the likelihood of a future fall.

The research will initially focus on better predicting the likelihood of falls, but the business will also look at body composition, digital inclusion, and behaviour change.

The money comes from UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), a non-departmental public body of the government which directs innovation funding.

The company, which was founded in 2021, is planning to launch its own digital platform next year, designed to help older people better manage their own health.

Smplicare is supported in the study by a team of leading data scientists at The Data Lab,

Scotland’s Innovation Centre for Data and AI, who will analyse the user data.

“Technology spending for adults over 65 – including wearables - exploded during the pandemic, up 350 per cent by some estimates,” said Garrett Sprague, chief executive and co-founder, Smplicare. “It’s not that older people don’t use technology – the reality is that they have a low tolerance for bad technology.

"Smplicares’ technology is simple and allows users to monitor and manage their own health data via our bespoke mobile dashboard which is co-designed alongside older adults.”

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