Politecnico di Milano was among the key contributors to ActivE³ – Everyone, Everywhere, Everyday, the “Emblematic Major” project funded by Fondazione Cariplo and Regione Lombardia, which concluded at the Lecco Campus of the University’s territorial branch. The project benefited significantly from the contributions of Prof. Manuela Galli and Prof. Alessandra Pedrocchi, both from the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, who brought advanced expertise in bioengineering, rehabilitation technologies, and digital innovation for healthcare.
Over three years of activity, ActivE³ developed and tested innovative models to promote an active and inclusive lifestyle across the entire lifespan, integrating scientific research with concrete local implementation.
The project was carried out through a multidisciplinary partnership that combined research, clinical, healthcare, and educational expertise. In addition to the lead partner Univerlecco, collaborators included Politecnico di Milano – Lecco Campus, the National Research Council (CNR) – Lecco branch, ASST Lecco, ATS Brianza, IRCCS “Eugenio Medea” – Associazione La Nostra Famiglia, IRCCS INRCA of Casatenovo, and Fondazione Valduce – Ospedale Valduce – Villa Beretta Rehabilitation Center. This network ensured methodological rigor and tangible benefits for the local community.
Politecnico di Milano contributed to all three project actions. For the University, coordination was entrusted to Manuela Galli, who led the action dedicated to motor inclusion in primary schools; Giuseppe Andreoni, who led the digital coaching and healthy ageing action; and Alessandra Pedrocchi, who oversaw the development of the Hybrid Trike within the Sport-Therapy platform.
The motor inclusion action involved more than 700 children in experimental activities at the Lecco Campus and over 200 through the implementation of technological kits in schools, promoting an innovative approach to physical activity in school-age children.
In the field of digital coaching and healthy ageing, the clinical study involved 243 volunteers over the age of 60, achieving adherence rates above 93% and confirming the effectiveness of an integrated digital approach to prevention and the promotion of active lifestyles.
The Sport-Therapy platform extended innovation to contexts of frailty and rehabilitation. In particular, the Hybrid Trike developed by Politecnico di Milano — which integrates functional electrical stimulation — showed significant results in post-stroke patients, with a 150% increase in paretic leg power and a 19% improvement in strength and voluntary motor function.
ActivE³ demonstrates how the promotion of physical activity can become a concrete driver of health, prevention, and social inclusion through an integrated and replicable model. This journey now continues with the new emblematic project INSIEME – INnovation for Health and Social Inclusion in MovEment, further strengthening the role of Politecnico di Milano and its Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering in developing technological solutions for the health and well-being of the community.