EASY LIFE, INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS, AND LIFE 2.0:EUROPEAN RESEARCH ON ICT FOR AGING ADULTS

摘要

Lack of access and accessibility have been two of the largestrnimpediments for older adults and Information andrnCommunication Technology (ICT) use, resulting in reducedrncomputer skills, lack of motivation, and aversion to newrntechnologies. By looking at these influential barriers, we canrnsee that this is partially due to technologies being designedrnand marketed towards the younger generations and do notrnallow for inclusive design. Aging is usually not consideredrnwhen designing mainstream products and there can be arndistinct lack of industry awareness about the cohort’srncapabilities. Additionally, even when AssistivernTechnologies (AT) are developed specifically to helprnmarginalized groups, a lack of interoperability can hamperrnuptake.rnSince the 1990’s, the European Union has contributed to therndevelopment of eHealth and this has helped to place Europernas one of the leading world investors in the field. As a result,rnthe EU is utilizing industrial, scientific, and social resourcesrnto accelerate product and service synchronization.rnInnovation and development in these areas not only benefitsrnEuropean citizens and residents, but also strengthens thernEuropean industry market.rnICT sectors are experiencing a growth in the needs andrnmarketability of tools and services designed specifically forrnolder adults. If a service is offering opportunities tornemphasize resources and capabilities already available,rnresearch must incorporate design and functionalityrnrequirements and preferences of aging adults. This can helprnto improve or maintain QoL, allow for aging in place andrnindependent living, increase socialization throughrnconnection services, and reduce cost of care burdensrnexpected with the increase in aged proportions of globalrnpopulations.