Songpa-gu to Establish 'Smart Senior Centers' Using Advanced Technology by Year-End

Creating a Digital Environment to Support Senior Leisure Activities at 8 Public Senior Centers and Songpa Senior Welfare Center ▲Safety Sensors ▲AI Robots for Customized Health Management Systems ▲Video Platforms ▲Automation of Senior Center Operations

Songpa-gu (District Mayor Seo Gang-seok) plans to establish and operate ‘Smart Senior Centers’ equipped with cutting-edge information and communication technologies at eight district-run senior centers and the Songpa Senior Welfare Center by the end of the year to promote healthy and vibrant lives for the elderly.

The district’s ‘Smart Senior Center’ project aims to transform senior centers, which are familiar local community hubs and shared spaces for the elderly, into resting places integrated with advanced technology to prevent digital exclusion among seniors and enhance their informatization capabilities.

A district official added, “The fundamental purpose of this project is to provide an environmental foundation so that seniors can enjoy a convenient and healthy daily life.”

First, the district will introduce key smart devices at senior centers and the welfare center to support the safety, health management, and leisure activities of the elderly.

Various smart devices will be equipped, ranging from ▲IoT devices and safety sensors for emergency preparedness and efficient senior center operation, ▲AI robots including personalized health management systems for seniors, to ▲video platforms, smart tables, and singing health devices for hobby activities and emotional support.

Additionally, reflecting the characteristics of senior centers as facilities exclusively for the health-vulnerable elderly requiring prompt emergency response and constant management personnel, the district plans to introduce an automated operation and management solution for senior centers. This will integratively manage various data collected from digital devices and build a platform to respond to diverse situations.

In particular, the district will introduce the first facial recognition AI robot among Seoul’s autonomous districts at senior centers to accumulate data and provide health management content, thereby protecting the physical and cognitive health of the elderly.

Furthermore, the Songpa Senior Welfare Center will pioneer the establishment of a ‘video platform’ capable of simultaneous broadcasting to up to 80 locations and set up a ‘main studio’ to conduct various exercise programs and health consultations interactively. The produced content will be provided not only to district-run but also private senior centers to encourage broader participation among the elderly.

Currently, the Smart Senior Center project is in the final stages of vendor selection, aiming for completion within this year and full-scale operation in 2024, with preparations to commence in October accelerating the project.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, “In this rapidly changing informatization era, we have embarked on building Smart Senior Centers so that the elderly, as members of society, are not excluded but respected and can enjoy a happy old age.” He added, “We will continue to expand support and respect for the elderly who have sacrificed and dedicated themselves to building today’s Republic of Korea.”