Welfare technology, which is the common Nordic term for technology used for environmental control, safety and well-being in particular for elderly and disabled people. A similar term is Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) technology2. A typical definition is: “Welfare technology is technology that can help and assist users in their daily lives. Examples of welfare technology are intelligent aids such as cleaning robots, sensors in clothes, smart homes, etc.(Wikipedia)

The term of welfare technology is mainly used in the Nordic countries, while in Europe the term Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) is more common. This may reflect the Nordic countries’ approach to the welfare state and welfare services and the idea that such technology will be an important integrated part of such services, like today’s assistive technology