One major aspect of today's society is the significant increase in longevity and the progressive ageing of the population in all countries. By 2025, the over-60's population will have increased by 66% in Europe, and will constitute about 30% of the population. There will be a particular increase in the over-75's and over-85's, amounting to around 15% and 2.5%, respectively, of the total.

At the same time, the demand for self-sufficiency is increasing among senior citizens who, although their functions are in a way disabled "by exhaustion", choose to continue living in their own homes or in any case want to have a greater degree of independence. As a result, there will be an increase in the demand for social involvement, mobility, productivity, use of free time, personal care and attention, which the social and territorial infrastructures will have to make the necessary adjustments for.

Technology can provide important solutions to these issues and many groups are now working in this direction. In particular Gerontechnology - term born in Europe just prior to the 1990's as a composite of a two words: "gerontology", the scientific study of aging, and "technology" - is concerned with research on the biological, psychological, social, and medical aspects of ageing exploiting the potentials offered by the progress of technology.

The 6th Conference of the International Society for Gerontechnology - ISG08 - will be gathering gerontechnology specialists from around the world in Italy in 2008. The conference is staged about once every three years, and it is now back in Europe after nine years.

This time, the conference will be host in Pisa placed in Tuscany, an Italian region sensitive to issues related to increasing aging of population. Tuscany is a very attractive region for many European senior citizens to retire, due to a unique mix of cultural heritage and quality of life with an extraordinary wealth of artistic and cultural heritage, deep attention to preserving the environment and social relations, excellent climate, good food and a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.

ISG08 is intended to be a forum where all the people involved in activities on gerontechnology (robotics researchers, architects, biomedical engineers, neuroscientists, biologists, experts in political science and economics, and scientists from many other communities) will meet and interact, present results and discuss about future research lines. The conference theme is SMART TECHNOLOGY FOR ACTIVE LONGEVITY.

We hope to see you in Pisa working with us to make ISG08 a successful event!

Herman Bouma, Honorary General Chair
Paolo Dario, General Chair

Silvestro Micera, Program Chair for Europe & Africa
James Fozard, Program Chair for the Americas
Ken Sagawa, Program Chair for Asia & Australia