The City Council receives the "Best Public Initiative" award for the "Telecare Benidorm. Internet of People" project

Benidorm City Council received the "Communications Talent" award last night for the Best Public Initiative for the "Telecare Benidorm. Internet of People" project. This recognition is presented by the Official College and the Valencian Association of Telecommunications Engineers. The gala was held at the Huerto del Cura Hotel in Elche.

The award was accepted by the city's mayor, Toni Pérez, who was accompanied by the Councillor for Innovation, Aida García Mayor. The ceremony was also attended by the regional secretary for innovation, Jerónimo Mora; Luis Miguel Chapinal, national dean of the Official College of Telecommunications Engineers; José Antonio Teixeira Vitienes, president of the Heritage Association of Telecommunications Engineers; and Susana Bañuelos, dean of the Official College of Telecommunications Engineers of the Valencian Community.

The Benidorm project, as explained by the mayor, is based on a "non-invasive telecare program for the care of elderly and vulnerable people based on artificial intelligence and big data." It has been developed by the technology companies IOTSENS and Global Energy & Trading (GET), and the objective is "to put technology at the service of care and people."

This system is capable of providing real-time consumption data and detecting deviations from the household's usual behaviour, such as a lack of activity for an extended period, abnormal peaks, or changes in the user's usual consumption schedule. This system generates smart alarms to activate municipal social care protocols and assist the vulnerable person with any need or incident.

In his speech, the mayor highlighted the competition and participation of the city council as the driving force, as well as the development companies, the Valencian Innovation Agency, the University of Valencia, and Hidraqua. “It's a project that has been tested in more than fifty homes and that saves lives, which is wonderful and represents a huge and very important contribution to an area like Social Welfare.”

The “Senior Engineer” award went to Professor Antonio Serna; the “Junior Engineer” award went to Eva María Román Valdés; the “Technology Company with Impact” award went to DXC Technology; and the “Technological Integration” award went to Avamed Synergy.

Jerónimo Mora, the regional secretary for Innovation, also spoke. He noted that telecommunications engineering “has been, is, and will be a fundamental pillar of society.” Addressing the engineers, he stated that “without you, nothing would work, without those intangible but essential networks, because behind them lies rigorous work that transforms the magical into the human.”

Antonio Teixeira, for his part, asked sponsors and public institutions to "continue supporting the college because telecommunications are essential for keeping us united. There must be engineers who believe in this profession." Dean Susana Bañuelos concluded the event by emphasising "defending and vindicating this profession" and calling for "the presence of telecommunications engineers in public administration. We don't exist, and we can contribute a lot in terms of knowledge and innovation."