Developing A Digital COPD companion for improving Lifestyle DACIL

DACIL aims to promote autonomy and self-reliance of people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) by providing them with an effective, artificial intelligence (AI) monitoring system based on voice and skin sensors and an AI-supported, digital companion that supports a personalised healthy lifestyle in the home environment. Patients and different experts from various research fields will work together to co-create such a digital companion. COPD is a chronic and life-threatening respiratory disease causing debilitating symptoms that limit day-to-day activities and prevents full participation in society. Despite its potential to reach and support COPD patients at home, no digital COPD strategy is currently available that is effective in preventing disease deteriorations and improving lifestyle. A poor lifestyle has shown to negatively impact the severity and progression of COPD. This includes tobacco smoking, physical inactivity, and poor nutritional status, all of which have a higher prevalence among people with a low socioeconomic status. As a consequence, COPD related health burden remains high and health inequalities persist. Using Design Thinking, DACIL will co-create a digital companion that guides COPD patients to diagnose disease deterioration themselves using AI-supported non-invasive and continuous monitoring in their home environment, thereby empowering patients to control their disease at home together with their informal support network. By preventing hospital care DACIL decreases healthcare costs, whilst at the same time reaching more people with COPD within their own environment in need for disease management, thereby contributing to reducing health inequities.

DACIL aims at supporting people with COPD by developing a digital coach that keeps track of the COPD in the home environment and provides advices if the COPD worsens. Such advice is based on analysing speech and breathing and is supported by artificial intelligence. Lifestyle advice is also given to help people with COPD cope better with this condition. By developing such a digital coach together with patients, people with COPD will feel empowered in their home environment to live well with COPD and such changes will reduce health inequalities in the Netherlands.

digital health technology, COPD, inclusive digital health