East Sussex City Council Digital Health Living Lab

The East Sussex Living Lab is a collaborative initiative between the University of Brighton and East Sussex County Council, designed to explore how digital technologies can enhance wellbeing, safety, and independence among older adults in supported living environments. The project applies the Living Lab methodology, where residents, care staff, researchers, and technology partners co-design, test, and evaluate digital health innovations in real-world settings.
At Downlands Court, the Living Lab tested a suite of technologies, including an interactive table, a fall-prevention sensor, virtual reality experiences, and wearable trackers, to assess their impact on social interaction, cognitive stimulation, physical activity, and care delivery.

Findings demonstrate that when digital tools are introduced through co-creation and staff engagement, they can meaningfully improve residents’ wellbeing, strengthen communication between staff and clients, and support more personalised and preventative models of care. The project also provides evidence to guide digital inclusion, ethical deployment, and workforce training within adult social care.

Through this Living Lab, the University of Brighton and East Sussex County Council are co-developing an evidence-based framework for integrating digital innovation into local health and care services, contributing to the region’s age-friendly and sustainable innovation ecosystem.

The East Sussex Living Lab demonstrated measurable improvements in wellbeing, engagement, and person-centred care through the deployment of digital technologies in real care environments.

Social connection and emotional wellbeing: The interactive table promoted laughter, group interaction, and reminiscence, reducing social isolation and supporting cognitive stimulation among residents.
Safety and reassurance: The wall-mounted sensor enhanced staff confidence in fall detection and early response, while reducing the need for intrusive nighttime checks.

Immersive engagement: Virtual reality experiences allowed residents to revisit meaningful places and memories, evoking relaxation and conversation that strengthened relationships with staff and peers.
Wearable technology feasibility: The wearable pilot faced very limited engagement and technical challenges that prevented full evaluation. Findings suggest that wrist-worn devices may not be appropriate for this care setting without major adaptation and co-design with users. The pilot was therefore not continued in its current form.

The Living Lab has shown that participatory design and realistic testing are essential for understanding what technologies are both acceptable and sustainable in care contexts. These insights are informing East Sussex County Council’s ongoing digital care strategy, focusing on ethical, inclusive, and evidence-based innovation.