Using Wireless Sensor Networks for Aged Care: The Patient's Perspective

This paper presents the findings of a qualitative study on the perceptions and thoughts of elderly people on the use of current sensor network technology for assisted aged care. Focus groups of elderly people were presented with examples of current sensor nodes and example scenarios of their use, and then invited to provide input on a range of issues surrounding the design and use of the technology. The focus group findings were verified with a health care professional as a control measure. This study examines sensing based interaction, implementation methodologies and user acceptance issues specifically for the elderly, and from the elderly's perspective. A significant finding of the study is that the two most important factors for elderly acceptance of sensor technology are cost and control

[1]  David E. Culler,et al.  SPINS: Security Protocols for Sensor Networks , 2001, MobiCom '01.

[2]  Sara J. Czaja.  Human factors research needs for an aging population , 1990 .

[3]  David A. Wagner,et al.  TinySec: a link layer security architecture for wireless sensor networks , 2004, SenSys '04.

[4]  Gregory D. Abowd,et al.  The Conference Assistant: combining context-awareness with wearable computing , 1999, Digest of Papers. Third International Symposium on Wearable Computers.

[5]  Peter C. Wright,et al.  CUHTec: the Centre for Usable Home Technology , 2004, CHI EA '04.

[6]  Miwako Doi,et al.  LifeMinder: an evidence-based wearable healthcare assistant , 2001, CHI Extended Abstracts.

[7]  M. Mikkonen,et al.  User and Concept Studies as Tools in Developing Mobile Communication Services for the Elderly , 2002, Personal and Ubiquitous Computing.

[8]  Alex Pentland,et al.  Perceptual Intelligence , 1999, HUC.

[9]  Elizabeth D. Mynatt,et al.  Increasing the opportunities for aging in place , 2000, CUU '00.

[10]  Jennifer L. Gregg.  Tearing down walls for the homebound elderly , 2001, CHI Extended Abstracts.

[11]  Alex Pentland,et al.  Perceptual user interfaces: perceptual intelligence , 2000, CACM.

[12]  Chun-Yi Chen,et al.  ShareComp: sharing for companionship , 2005, CHI Extended Abstracts.

[13]  Julio Abascal,et al.  Universal access to mobile telephony as a way to enhance the autonomy of elderly people , 2001, WUAUC'01.

[14]  Steve Mann,et al.  “Smart clothing”: wearable multimedia computing and “personal imaging” to restore the technological balance between people and their environments , 1997, MULTIMEDIA '96.

[15]  Roberto Di Pietro,et al.  Random key-assignment for secure Wireless Sensor Networks , 2003, SASN '03.

[16]  Daniel M. Gloyd.  Positive user experience and medical adherence , 2003, DPPI '03.

[17]  M. Rapoff,et al.  Adherence to Pediatric Medical Regimens , 1999, Issues in Clinical Child Psychology.

[18]  Virginia Z. Ogozalek.  A comparison of the use of text and multimedia interfaces to provide information to the elderly , 1994, CHI Conference Companion.