Using Smart TV Applications for Providing Interactive Ambient Assisted Living Services to Older Adults

摘要

The irruption of computer-based technology in social interaction has negatively affected the way in which elderly people interact with their family members, because they are, in some cases, reluctant to adopt new digital media. Given that literature suggests that seniors spend a significant part of their day watching television, we argue that Smart TV applications can be an effective way to provide them access to ambient assisted living services. This paper reports the design and use of a Smart TV-based application that promotes social interaction between older adults and their family members through social media. The system runs on a LED screen, extended with smart functionalities provided by Google Chromecast. The social interaction features provided by the system include exchanging email messages and sharing photos that are automatically retrieved from the accounts of family members in social media feeds. The system was evaluated with a group of expert users as well as with a sample of end-users. Older adults participating in the study praised the new possibilities offered by the prototype application as a way to better engage with family-generated content, thus facilitating their social integration.