On May 20, 2025, the international workshop “Eye of Europe: Aging and Assisted Living Technologies (AALT)” took place at the headquarters of VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH in Berlin. The event was organized within the framework of the EU-funded project Eye of Europe, which aims to strengthen the integration of foresight methods into European research and innovation (R&I) policy-making.
The workshop’s objective was to analyze the societal impacts and potential of assistive technologies for aging, from both demographic and technological innovation perspectives. It particularly focused on the relevance of AALT for future policy strategies across the European Research Area (ERA).
23 international experts from academia, policy, civil society, social care, engineering, and business took part in the event. Two keynote contributions from the fields of technology foresight (Dr. Simone Ehrenberg-Silies, VDI/VDE-IT) and smart health (Christian Gräff, Smart Health Living Center Berlin) set the stage. Participants then applied the “Futures Wheel” foresight method to systematically map direct and indirect effects of technological developments in the AALT field.
The Futures Wheel proved to be a highly effective tool for visualizing complex cause-and-effect relationships under uncertainty and initiating future-oriented planning processes. The workshop offered an interdisciplinary platform for exchange, discussion, and strategic foresight.
The program was complemented by an informal pre-event on May 19, which included a visit to the Futurium museum and a joint dinner at a traditional Berlin restaurant.
