Technology Beyond the Home Winner

Project College Care Kent

Project College Care Kent is a multi-site initiative created to help future health and social care professionals understand how technology can support independent living. Delivered across six college locations in the Kent region, the project transforms smart home technology into a hands-on learning tool, allowing students, educators, and care providers to explore real-world applications in a safe, practical environment.

Automated Spaces partnered with the EKC Group and other regional colleges to design and install “Independent Living Smart Spaces,” demonstration suites that show how connected technology can improve dignity, safety, and quality of life. Rather than focusing on devices, the project centres on people, outcomes, and everyday challenges faced by those living with dementia, residents in care settings, and individuals in sheltered housing.

Security Lighting Smart Home Accessibility Smart Temperature Control

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Design Challenges and Smart Fixes

Teachers were not technology specialists

Plain-English guides, demonstration scripts, and step-by-step prompts were created so staff could confidently lead tours and lessons.

Each college space had different layouts and constraints

Modular exhibition-style structures were built offsite, pre-wired, and then adapted to suit each location with minimal disruption.

The system needed to demonstrate dignity and independence

A two-way connected care approach was used, allowing gentle prompts to support residents before escalating alerts to carers.

The project needed to support education, not just technology demonstrations

Automated Spaces designed the suites around real-life scenarios and personas, allowing educators to teach outcomes rather than explain technical systems.

Standout Features

Independent Living Smart Spaces: Fully interactive demonstration rooms show how smart technology can support people living independently, rather than focusing on surveillance or control.

Hands-on Educational Spaces: Students can see, hear, and interact with the technology, bridging the gap between theory and practical application.

Connected Care: Smart systems share insights with a care platform, helping identify patterns while prioritising dignity and independence.