Smart D8 Project (2022—2024)
The ADAPT Centre at Maynooth University is collaborating with Smart Dublin through Dublin City Council’s Smart City Unit in a 2-year project to develop the Smart D8 ecosystem and an engaged research programme that builds upon ADAPT’s research expertise in advanced technology, Artificial Intelligence, education and public engagement, data interoperability, data and technology governance and ethics, and healthcare. The project specifically links to the research programme of the Transparent Digital Governance Strand of ADAPT.
Healthcare delivery is challenged by rising levels of chronic diseases, ageing populations, healthcare workforce shortages, rising delivery costs, overcrowded hospitals and unplanned emergencies — increasing pressure on already limited resources in healthcare settings. With a 25,000 strong population, and a number of Ireland’s leading hospitals, research institutes and a vibrant start-up community based in the area, Dublin 8 is the ideal location for a Smart District focused on the health and wellbeing of citizens.
As an innovation district and urban demonstrator, the Smart D8 initiative aims to solve local health and wellbeing needs, and understand how to scale the outcomes of such projects through new technologies and innovative partnerships in the Dublin 8 district. Since October 2020, Smart D8 has developed a unique partnership model for ‘prospective’ healthcare innovation. A number of pilot projects have been developed that focus on health and wellness and limiting the number of people who end up getting sick — and in the healthcare system.
ADAPT is collaborating with Smart D8 to co-develop the Smart D8 district as a world-class ‘Smart Health and Community Well-being’ testbed that offers the opportunity for R&D with the ability to test products and services locally. The project adopts an engaged research methodology and the project applies a people-and community centric approach, with the active engagement and participation of the local community. Collaborating with new and existing partners — local authorities, national healthcare providers, third level research institutions, innovators and entrepreneurs — the project aims to support and further develop the existing Smart D8 programme and expand the current ecosystem. The programme of engaged research will generate new data, and provide insights which can inform a new roadmap for Smart D8 and suggest innovative solutions to address identified challenges and explore new opportunities.
Dr. Jack Lehane was hired in October 2022 as the ADAPT Post-Doctoral Researcher in the role of Smart D8 Ecosystem Manager for the Smart Dublin Programme. He has research interests in healthy and platform urbanism, built and digital environments, social ecologies, neuroarchitecture, sustainable development, and community-engaged praxis. He is a committed educationalist and chair of the All-Ireland Architecture Research Group (A-IARG). Currently, he is working on applying novel methods for mobilising stakeholder and community engagement within pilot projects, embedding research and technology ethics in health innovation, and developing and evaluating interventions and roadmaps to progress the development of the ecosystem and the Smart D8 programme.
The ADAPT PI on the project is Prof. Aphra Kerr, Department of Sociology and MUSSI, Maynooth University.
This project is partly funded under the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centres Programme (Grant 13/RC/2106_P2).
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