ZHdK receives multi-year DIZH funding on digital health design
The Digitization Initiative (DIZH) of the Zurich universities UZH, ZHAW, ZHdK and PHZH intensifies the exchange with practice and the public. To this end, DIZH is funding four innovation structures with a total of 16 million Swiss francs for the areas of Digital Health, Autonomous Systems, Clinical Innovation and Cybersecurity. Under the leadership of Anna Lisa Martin-Niedecken, the ZHdK is establishing a hub for participatory design in digital healthcare together with UZH and ZHAW. A duration of five years is planned.
Institute for Design Research Strengthens Digital Health Design Area
The Digital Health Design Living Lab (DHD Living Lab) provides an interdisciplinary structure for research and development projects and the formation of excellence profiles in the context of digitalization, health, ethics and design. It serves to collaborate and redesign in the interest of high-quality, human-centered and value-based healthcare. The public is actively involved in exploring needs and preferences and designing innovative solutions. Through this participation, the public's trust, awareness and knowledge of health literacy as well as digitalization can grow. This in turn contributes to prevention and sustainable health promotion.
Developing and testing autonomous systems
At the Dübendorf Innovation Park, a place is being created where experts from science and industry will in future shape the future of autonomous systems, such as independently navigating drones, in an interdisciplinary manner and educate society about civilian applications in this field. "Shared Large-scale Infrastructure for the Development and Safe Testing of Autonomous Systems" (LINA) forms the operational basis of a real and virtual infrastructure for research, development and safe testing of autonomous systems in an internationally unique test setup in the canton of Zurich. All stakeholders around the airspace and the Zurich-Dübendorf airfield are closely involved in the development of the test arenas.
Practice lab for patient-centered clinical innovation
The "Zurich Applied Digital Health Center" researches digital health solutions in the hospital context and implements them in an efficient and practice-relevant manner. For example, the so-called "Patient Reported Outcome Measures" (PROM) are being investigated, which provide information on the health status of patients and the effects of treatments from their perspective. So far, there is no platform in Switzerland that enables the transfer of PROM research into clinical practice. The center brings together experts from clinics, research, development and industry and integrates the currently still individually operating institutions into a common structure. This will establish a digital ecosystem in healthcare and position Zurich as a "Smart Health City".
Cyber Resilience Network for the Canton of Zurich
The new "Cyber Resilience Network" of the Canton of Zurich is designed to counter the increasing threats from the Internet. The vulnerability of computer systems is increasing due to progressive networking, which is a challenge especially for critical infrastructures. The "Cyber Resilience Network" aims to help mitigate such threats through research and education as well as the establishment of a "cyber militia" - analogous to the fire department. The project focuses in particular on non-technical aspects of cyber security. For example, the legal basis and feasibility for establishing a cyber militia of volunteers will be researched. Cooperation between the participating universities and the various stakeholders in the canton of Zurich will be intensified in order to create new education and training opportunities in the field of cyber security. The involvement of civil society will also play an important role in this project. The goal is to increase the resilience of Zurich as a business location and its population against cyber risks - both through preventive measures and through damage management in the event of major incidents.
Further information on the four innovation structures:
Digital Health Design Living Lab: project of ZHdK, UZH and ZHAW led by Anna Lisa Martin-Niedecken, ZHdK Institute for Design Research.
Shared Large-scale Infrastructure for the Development and Safe Testing of Autonomous Systems (LINA): project of ZHAW, UZH and ZHdK led by Prof. Michel Guillaume, ZHAW School of Engineering, Center for Aviation.
Zurich Applied Digital Health Center: ZHAW and UZH project led by Prof. Sven Hirsch, ZHAW Life Sciences and Facility Management, Center for Computational Health.
Cyber Resilience Network: UZH and ZHAW project led by Melanie Knieps, UZH Digital Society Initiative and Nico Ebert, ZHAW School of Management and Law.
