Consumer Feedback on Smart Home Applications

Objective To describe older adults' perceptions and reactions to smart home technologies/applications at the Gator-Tech Smart Home. Method Three focus groups of older adults with various impairments were held at the University of Florida Gator-Tech Smart Home. Eight technologies/applications were demonstrated and a structured discussion followed each demonstration. Content analysis was used to identify participants' perceptions of smart home technology. Results Overall, most participants responded favorably toward the smart door and voice activation than any other smart technology/application. Conclusion The data is being used to modify current smart home applications and guide future smart technology/application design.

[1]  A. Buysse,et al.  Awareness among community-dwelling elderly of assistive devices for mobility and self-care and attitudes towards their use. , 2002, Social science & medicine.

[2]  N. I. Edwards,et al.  Ownership and use of assistive devices amongst older people in the community. , 1998, Age and ageing.

[3]  S. Furner,et al.  Older Adults and Assistive Devices , 1998, Journal of aging and health.

[4]  J. Kronenfeld,et al.  Maintaining functional independence in elderly adults: the roles of health status and financial resources in predicting home modifications and use of mobility equipment. , 2002, The Gerontologist.

[5]  William C. Mann,et al.  Frail Older Adults' Self-Report of Their Most Important Assistive Device , 2004 .

[6]  J. Russell,et al.  Trends and differential use of assistive technology devices: United States, 1994. , 1997, Advance data.

[7]  W. Mann,et al.  Comparison of assistive device use and needs of home-based older persons with different impairments. , 1993, The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association.

[8]  M. Skubic,et al.  A technology and nursing collaboration to help older adults age in place. , 2005, Nursing outlook.

[9]  Vicki A Freedman,et al.  Reconsidering substitution in long-term care: when does assistive technology take the place of personal care? , 2005, The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences.

[10]  V. Freedman,et al.  A comparison of assistive technology and personal care in alleviating disability and unmet need. , 2003, The Gerontologist.

[11]  Purvi Sevak,et al.  Use, type, and efficacy of assistance for disability. , 2002, The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences.

[12]  D.H. Stefanov,et al.  The smart house for older persons and persons with physical disabilities: structure, technology arrangements, and perspectives , 2004, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.

[13]  W. Mann,et al.  Racial differences of frail elders in assistive technology. , 1997, Assistive technology : the official journal of RESNA.

[14]  D. Makuc,et al.  Health, United States, 2003; with chartbook on trends in the health of Americans , 2003 .

[15]  L H Kraskowsky,et al.  Factors affecting older adults' use of adaptive equipment: review of the literature. , 2001, The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association.

[16]  K. Berg,et al.  Receiving help at home: the interplay of human and technological assistance. , 2001, The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences.

[17]  C. Granger,et al.  Effectiveness of assistive technology and environmental interventions in maintaining independence and reducing home care costs for the frail elderly. A randomized controlled trial. , 1999, Archives of family medicine.

[18]  A. Tinker,et al.  Introducing assistive technology into the existing homes of older people: Feasibility, acceptability, costs and outcomes , 2005, Journal of telemedicine and telecare.

[19]  G Grimby,et al.  Assistive devices in an elderly population studied at 70 and 76 years of age. , 1994, Disability and rehabilitation.

[20]  Helen Hoenig,et al.  Does assistive technology substitute for personal assistance among the disabled elderly? , 2003, American journal of public health.

[21]  M. Skubic,et al.  Older adults' attitudes towards and perceptions of ‘smart home’ technologies: a pilot study , 2004, Medical informatics and the Internet in medicine.

[22]  R. Kington,et al.  The Prevalence of Functional Limitations and Disability in Older Persons in the US: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III , 2000, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

[23]  B Allen An integrated approach to Smart House technology for people with disabilities. , 1996, Medical engineering & physics.