SmartUs was chosen for the final of the Stockholm Challenge
(16.4.2008)

The SmartUs concept of the Rovaniemi based playground manufacturer Lappset Group has made it through to the final of the international ICT innovation competition. Competing in the series for projects that promote health and healthy lifestyles, SmartUs is a technologically expanded play, learning and fitness environment for people of all ages. The competition organisers appreciated the exceptionally high level of expertise in competition entries this year.

 The purpose of the highly revered Stockholm Challenge is to award projects that utilise information and communication technologies, and that provide significant benefits to individuals and communities. The competition has six categories: Culture, Economic Development, Education, Environment, Health and Public Administration. SmartUs is competing in the Health category, the objective of which is to discover projects that promote health by utilising new technologies. SmartUs is the only finalist from Finland in its class.

SmartUs provides an inspiring environment for play, activity and learning for the whole family. Its point of departure is the notion that by using technology at playgrounds and outdoor areas it is possible to encourage people to engage in activity and a healthy lifestyle – as well as providing an informal learning environment using activity and play. SmartUs is the commercial outcome of an extensive research project initiated in 2002, which among other issues studied the connection between motor development and learning, as well as learning using play and activity. These research tasks continue in, for instance, the multidisciplinary InnoSchool project.

- We are overjoyed at making it through to the Final! The Stockholm Challenge is a competition held in high esteem that sees participation of a number of first-rate and very varied projects from all over the world. Being here is truly a fantastic achievement, says Managing Director of SmartUs Asko Alanen.

The competition saw 390 ICT project entries from over 50 different nations. The prize-winners selected from the group of 145 finalists will be announced in Stockholm on 22 May. The winners of each series will be awarded a prize of 5000 euro.

The Stockholm Challenge on is a competition arranged in Stockholm since 1995, and was known as the Bangemann Challenge until 2000. The goal of the competition is to award successful ICT projects. Nowadays it is organised by the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), and researchers are employed from the City of Stockholm, Ericsson and Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency).

Read more about the Stockholm Challenge at: www.stockholmchallenge.se


Further information available from:
Asko Alanen
Managing Director, SmartUs Oy
tel. +358 40 823 3033, asko.alanen@smartus.com