Satakunta University of Applied Sciences is a horizontal, internationally oriented university with 6000 students and 360 experts in Finnish and English programs. Offering both Bachelor and Master level education youth education and further education for adults, SAMK has a wide contact surface for the employment sector both nationally and internationally. The faculties are:
- Technology
- Service Business
- Logistics and Maritime Technology
- Health and Welfare
SAMK is the leading institution of higher education in the Satakunta region, operating on the west coast of Finland. In RDI, SAMK has a comprehensive project experience in various national and international funding programs. RD activities are joined in SAMK with innovation approach and support for entrepreneurship.
At SAMK the project is carried out by Well-being enhancing technology (WET) research group which have been executing numerous research projects in technology in care and which also actively participates teaching in care technology and related fields. The research group has wide collaboration network of working life partners as well as research partners. WET research group is a multidisciplinary team targeting at developing a person’s health and well-being by means of technology. The research group identifies four main activities: 1) Development and modification of various technology applications; 2) Service Designing; and 3) Follow-up and evaluation methodology development (user and usability research, accessible technologies), 4) Multidisciplinary knowledge transfer. The broader scope of the research and development work also involves experts in the field of well-being and health as well as experts in business innovation and service design.
At SAMK BaltSe@nioR project will be coordinated by Dr Sari Merilampi who is currently Head of Well-being Enhancing Technology research group. She received the M.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from Tampere University of Technology (TUT), Pori in December 2006 and D. Sc. (Tech.) degree in June 2011. Sari’s current research work includes new application possibilities of RFID, especially in the field of well-being and sensing as well as well-being enhancing technology solutions in general. She has also worked with (mobile) games as a new tool for self-activation and rehabilitation. Sari has authored numerous publications in the field of passive UHF radio frequency identification (RFID), new technological tools for care sector as well as materials and manufacturing methods of electronics. Her personal goal is to enable living to full-capacity by means of person-centered technology. Sari can be contacted by e-mail: sari.merilampi@samk.fi.