In everyday life, we encounter problems almost daily. It may be a small, almost insignificant dilemma or some gigantic obstacle that gets in our way. In the Problem-Based Innovation project, we find other people to solve your problems for you.

New Tools for Health has combed the county of Östergötland for health-related problems and compiled them all in a problem database. As a private individual, enterprise or researcher, you are welcome to browse in our database and see what challenges people need help with. This way, the database serves as a springboard for business ideas and research projects alike.

Accidental falls
For example, the problem of accidental falls among elderly people is a common one. Every year, they cost Sweden some SEK 5 billion (approx. €460m) — as much as road accidents. Nine-tenths of those affected are aged over 65 and fall in or near their own homes.

This is a problem that can be reduced in scale, thanks to Problem-Based Innovation. A personal care assistant in one locality came up with an idea for a device to help elderly people lift heavy objects. This inspired a graduate engineer at Linköping University to tackle the problem in a degree project. The result was a prototype of a lightweight, mobile technical aid for heavy lifting — a ‘travel lift’.

Your problems are worth gold
You are, needless to say, welcome to tell us about problem areas in your everyday life. Perhaps your problem can give rise to an idea that changes people’s lives.

Click here to access the problem database.