Bologna, 2 March 2026 – It looks like one passport photo machineis actually an advanced technological structure that allows you to obtain, in a few minutes and with the support of healthcare professionals, a complete and personalized evaluation of your state of health.
What is health capsule
It’s called ‘Salute in Sintesi’, the new project from the Local Health Authority and the Municipality of Bologna which will remain active until the end of the year at Dumbo: it is in fact a free and immediate check-up which will also be followed by advice for personalized paths of physical activity, nutrition, psychophysical support and healthy lifestyles. But in the next few months it will in fact be itinerant and will come activated at other points of the territory to reach an ever-increasing number of citizens.
The heart of the project is the Health Podi.e. the Health Capsule, active until December 2026 in the DumBO spaces, in via Casarini 19: an advanced technological structure that allows you to obtain, in a few minutes and with the support of healthcare professionals, a complete and personalized assessment of your health status.
Who can use the capsule services
The initiative is aimed at all adult citizens, with priority given to residents in the affected area of the Porto Saragozza and Navile districts of Bologna (until the end of the year, then it will move to other areas of the city). The capsule can be accessed from Monday to Friday, from 10am to 6pm, but first it is necessary book an appointment. More information on the ‘Health in summary’ project page.
What parameters does the capsule detect
The citizen is welcomed by trained healthcare personnel and accompanied inside the capsule. Through integrated sensors and latest generation digital devices, are detected in a way rapid and non-invasive the main ones physiological parameters:
- blood pressure
- heart rate
- body temperature
- oxygen saturation
- level of biological aging
- state of physical fitness.
Lifestyle questionnaires
But that’s not all: alongside clinical data, the Capsule also evaluates lifestyle thanks to intuitive digital questionnaires which investigate: level of stress and perceived stress, psychophysical well-being, quality of sleep, physical activity carried out and daily habits.
How is the final result
At the end of the course, which lasts a few minutes, each participant receives a personalized summary document: a clear and immediate snapshot of your overall state of healthuseful for consciously orienting yourself towards concrete improvement actions.
For example:
- Programs adapted motor activitycalibrated to individual conditions
- Nutritional interviews personalized to improve eating habits
- Routes for quit smokingwith specialist support
- Initiatives dedicated to psychophysical well-being and stress management
- Rehabilitation interventions of pelvic floor
- Proposals to strengthen healthy lifestyles in everyday life
Prevention for a healthy future
The capsule, from cost of 60 thousand eurosthe result of ministerial funds for prevention, as underlined by Anna Maria Petrini, general director of the Bologna Local Health Authority, has as its aim “the promotion and health enhancement of citizenship. In a few minutes he offers a personal overview and then gives advice or insert the person into a wellness journey and improvement, such as physical activity adapted to the subject or nutritional informationalso thanks to the collaboration with the associations and the Municipality. Promoting health means bringing attention to correct lifestyles into the culture of each of us.”
“It is not a diagnosis – clarifies Paolo Pandolfi, director of the Public Health Department of the Local Health Authority of Bologna –: it makes an assessment of what the level of our healththerefore indicates ways to maintain or improve our state of health. It is mainly oriented towards one active populationto young people, because we know that ours is an aging community so we need to create the conditions for healthy and active aging.”
The numbers of aging
Pandolfi underlines that “in 2042 we will have more than 36 percent, compared to today, of people who have aged over 75 and we must ensure that we reach that age in good health. With this tool we physically get close to people who can make an initial assessment. There are no tickets because prevention is a great investment for the community.”
