Wellness assistant: a virtual wellness assistant using pervasive computing

The number of people over age 65 will almost double by 2030 and as they age, they generally prefer to remain in their home or go to a nursing home. There are a variety of reasons for their decision, such as convenience or a need for security or privacy. So, it is time to break through the physical boundaries of hospitals, and bring the hospital information to the homes of the elderly rather than bringing elderly folks to the hospital. Despite growing requests by people to be able to take a more active part in managing their own health, wireless or internet-based healthcare devices have not been accepted for use in this area. This is probably due to the reluctance of this age group to make use of new technology, as well as the lack of reliable, individualized, or user friendly interfaces. In this paper, we discuss the challenges of developing Wellness Assistant (WA), software which is looking to solve some of these problems. The Assistant will use pervasive computing technologies because of the availability of inexpensive handheld devices such as PDAs, cell phones, and wrist watches with short range wireless capabilities. The WA can also be used by people with obesity, diabetes, or high blood pressure, conditions which need constant monitoring.

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