Adaptive tools for the elderly: new devices to cope with age-induced cognitive disabilities

  • Authors:
  • Joaquim A Jorge

  • Affiliations:
  • IST/UTL, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1000 Lisboa, PORTUGAL

  • Venue:
  • WUAUC'01 Proceedings of the 2001 EC/NSF workshop on Universal accessibility of ubiquitous computing: providing for the elderly
  • Year:
  • 2001

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Abstract

We look at the issues and methodologies needed to develop, deploy, and evaluate situation-aware mobile computing devices that adapt to the needs of elder users based on observed or predicted user behavior and needs. This paper discusses how pervasive computing can help the aging population live independently for as long as possible. We believe that successfully applying technology to this problem will require careful studies of how the target population actually lives and what their actual needs are. We propose a combination of traditional laboratory studies and surveys, as well as the use of instrumented spaces and personal monitoring devices to measure how people behave, normally and while using proposed assistive devices. A key requirement is the development of ways to simultaneously monitor signals from the body, activities, and social interactions to provide a more complete view of individuals and their lives. Some of the core research issues are machine learning to design devices learn from and adapt to user behavior, user-computer interaction to build devices and systems that support users in their tasks, mobile computing to support user and device mobility, mobility and data management to represent, access, update, and protect information, sensing devices that monitor human activity and finally rapid prototyping of services in a sensor-rich environment, in a scalable and secure manner.