Conference aimed to spur new technology-based solutions for independent living for senior citizens and individuals with disabilities
SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s Founding President and CEO Alain E. Kaloyeros to serve as keynote speaker
ALBANY, N.Y.,– Living Resources and the Center for Advancement & Understanding of Social Enterprises (CAUSE) at University at Albany School of Business today announced a partnership to host the inaugural Assistive Living Technologies (ALT) Conference on Monday, June 1.
The ALT Conference will bring together Capital Region and national thought leaders for an in-depth discussion on new technologies, products and services that will bolster ease and quality of living for individuals with disabilities.
The conference, which will be held at the UAlbany School of Business, will provide entrepreneurs and innovators with the opportunity to connect with Capital Region business, health care and technology leaders on opportunities to develop technology-based assistive products.
“As an organization dedicated to offering life-enhancing services to individuals with disabilities, Living Resources is deeply focused on technological advances which promote the concept of independent living,” said Living Resources CEO Fred Erlich. “We envision the Capital Region as a hub and incubator of thought leadership related to assistive living. The ALT Conference will offer an ideal opportunity for market leaders and innovators to come together to find solutions that are designed to improve the quality of life for our clients and those who are challenged by disabilities throughout their daily life.”
“One of my Center’s purposes is to foster enterprises with a double mission of being economically profitable while meeting important social needs. Certainly, assistive living is an opportunity to do exactly that. Since Tech Valley is strong in nanotechnology and life sciences, it seems ALT can create a local cluster of business startups that take advantage of technologies to come up with innovative solutions,” said UAlbany CAUSE Founding Director Paul Miesing. “We want the players – technologists, entrepreneurs, public officials, funders, health providers, and many others – to network so our vision becomes a reality.”
SUNY Polytechnic Institute College Founding President and CEO Alain E. Kaloyeros to serve as keynote speaker
The inaugural ALT Conference will welcome Alain E. Kaloyeros, Ph.D., founding president and CEO of SUNY Polytechnic Institute, to serve as keynote speaker.
Dr. Kaloyeros has been actively involved in the development and execution of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s high-tech strategy enabling New York State to become a global leader in the nanotechnology-driven economy of the 21st Century. A critical cornerstone of New York’s high-technology strategy is the establishment of SUNY Poly as a truly global resource that enables pioneering research and development, technology deployment, education, and commercialization for the international nanoelectronics industry.
“New York State’s global leadership in next generation technology development, as envisioned and implemented by Governor Cuomo, is creating tremendous opportunities for advancement in every industry, including health care and assistive living. Not only are we fostering brilliant new ideas, we are guiding them from research and development all the way through commercialization,” said Dr. Kaloyeros. “I am pleased to participate in the ALT conference, which builds upon the Governor’s collaborative innovation model by bringing together the expertise, resources and infrastructure necessary to effect positive change in the lives of individuals with disabilities.”
In addition to the presentation from Kaloyeros, the ALT Conference will offer panel discussions and roundtable sessions led by Capital Region technologists, entrepreneurs, financiers, insurers, attorneys, real estate developers and government officials.
The conference will also include a tour of the progressive Living Resources Smart House, which is intended to serve as a universal housing model for individuals with disabilities and elderly populations. The barrier-free group home, which is the first of its kind in New York State and currently accommodates six residents, features a universally accessible design for independence, green energy for efficiency and smart house technology for system integration.
The inaugural ALT Conference will be held on Monday, June 1 at the UAlbany School of Business from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The tour of the Smart House and welcome reception at Living Resources headquarters will be offered on Sunday, May 31 at 3 p.m.
The cost to attend is $20, which includes breakfast, lunch and parking on the day of the conference, as well as refreshments at the welcome reception. A live video stream of the conference will be available at no charge.
For more information, including a full conference schedule, and to register, visit www.ALTAlbany.com.
About Living Resources
Living Resources is an organization dedicated to providing life-enhancing services to more than 1,200 individuals with developmental disabilities and acquired brain injuries. Motivated to create opportunities for full community integration for all persons, caring professionals and committed parents opened the first program – a residence – in Schenectady in 1974. Since then, Living Resources has steadily expanded its programming to include clinical services, day habilitation, employment services, fine arts instruction, interpreting services for the hearing impaired, after school programming, service coordination and, in 2005, the College Experience Program in collaboration with The College of Saint Rose. For more information, visit www.livingresources.org.
About CAUSE at University at Albany School of Business
UAlbany’s Center for Advancement & Understanding of Social Enterprises (CAUSE) seeks to promote and improve social enterprises. It aids entrepreneurs solving social problems to apply business principles and make effective use of markets and helps business enterprises meet societal and environmental needs. For more information, visit www.albany.edu/cause/.