The United Hong Kong Fund advocates that health care vouchers can be used to purchase and rent gerontech products

The United Hong Kong Foundation and HKCSS earlier published the latest "Research Report on Gerontology Technology", which briefly outlined the development of technology products designed to improve the quality of life of the elderly.

Shui Zhiwei, assistant research director of the United Hong Kong Foundation, said on a commercial TV program today (16th) that the demand for the use of "geron technology" in Hong Kong has increased in the past few years, and more suppliers have produced related products, but it is still necessary to explore how to make these Popularize products for more seniors to use, such as allowing medical vouchers to purchase products, and improving the way of sharing to attract scholars to commercialize scientific research results.

Shui Zhiwei: Local scholars lack motivation to convert scientific research results into products

Shui Zhiwei pointed out that in 2017, he published the first research report on gerontech with the HKCSS, which pointed out 24 defects in the development of Hong Kong. The second research report published last year found that 21 of them have been improved. For example, the government A 1 billion fund has been launched to subsidize residential care homes to purchase related products.

However, he pointed out that due to the lack of retirement assistance in Hong Kong, both middle-class and grass-roots seniors may not be able to purchase relevant products. Referring to Japan's experience, seniors can rent relevant products.

He also believes that the use of medical vouchers and community service vouchers to buy or rent these products may be considered.

In addition, Shui Zhiwei mentioned that the current level of scientific research in Hong Kong universities is high, but it is difficult to turn them into mass-produced products. He suggested that universities refer to foreign examples, improve related policies such as patent application and increase the share of professors, and increase the motivation to commercialize scientific research.

He explained that due to the local use of university resources, the patent right belongs to the university after a professor applies for a patent, and the product is divided into up to 50%, which may not be enough to attract patent holders; on the other hand, in the UK and Canada, the patent right belongs to the scholars who applied, with 80% or even split. 100 percent.

Shui Zhiwei also pointed out that some start-up companies do not have much capital, and if they use patented products, they may not have the economic ability to share them with universities and related scholars.

Based on the experience of the United States, the right to use a patented product can be allowed in exchange for a certain percentage of the company's equity, and it can also encourage universities to turn research into commercial products.

HKPC: It can provide technical, testing and financial support for gerontological research and development

Poon Chi-kin, general manager of the Smart City Department of the Productivity Council, said in the same program that many furniture SMEs in Hong Kong may have never thought of providing services to elderly care homes. Companies are accelerating the production of "senior" products suitable for the elderly, such as chairs and beds.

Chen Wenyi, business director of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, pointed out that he hoped that the latest report would allow the public to see more strategic deployments and know how to do a good job in the development of ageing technology.

He pointed out that the research and development of elderly products should be led by users. In the future, during the research and development process, we should strengthen communication with suppliers to ensure that the products are suitable for different scenarios such as home.

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