ICT4 Elderly/Accessibility

Contents of the module

• The complexity of User Interfaces;
• Conventional User Interfaces design “one-size-fits-all” (which ignores all the accessibility requirements of older adults);
• The need for user interface adapted to different kinds of elderly impairment (visibility, sound and touch);
• Smart applications adapted to different kinds of elderly impairment;
• Accessibility across the entire system lifecycle; Inclusive design of smart cities, smart buildings and smart environments;
• Interaction-driven accessibility (touch screens, dynamic visualization).

Learning objectives

• Participants will understand what web accessibility means (that websites, tools, and technologies are designed and developed so that people with disabilities or elderly people can use them);
• Participants will understand that making the web accessible benefits individuals, businesses, and society.

Learning outcomes

• Participants are able to choose the most suitable Interface in regards with their age-related impairments;
• Participants are able to choose the most suitable applications for their age-related impairments;
• Participants are able to adjust (Interface, App) settings in regards with their age-related impairments.

Learning scenario

• Videos;
• Interactive demonstrations;
• Touch screens.

Evaluation

Practical task: participants must find and successfully use smart applications in regards with their age-related impairments.

Following this module learners will:

• Participants are able to choose the most suitable Interface in regards with their age-related impairments;
• Participants are able to choose the most suitable applications for their age-related impairments;
• Participants are able to adjust (Interface, App) settings in regards with their age-related impairments.

Introduction of the training

What does User Interface (UI) mean?

User interface (UI) is a broad term for any system, either physical or software based, that allows a user to connect with a given technology. Many different kinds of user interfaces come with various devices and software programs. Many of them have some basic similarities, although each one is unique in key ways.

One main type of user interface is called a graphical user interface (GUI). This includes the interfaces for the modern operating systems many of us are familiar with, particularly Windows, as well as other kinds of software programs that are made to be driven mainly by icons or images rather than text commands. Users can contrast the graphical user interface to a text interface such as the MS-DOS system that was used to operate personal computers of earlier decades.

Other kinds of user interfaces include touch screen interfaces, a common type of UI for mobile devices, and other physical types of interfaces for hardware pieces. For example, a remote control for a DVD player, audio system, television or game console can be thought of as a user interface for that device. Other kinds of software-oriented user interfaces are becoming more and more sophisticated, often using a combination of graphical and text elements to drive specific user activities.

Recent advances in sensing, networking and ambient intelligence technologies have resulted in a rapid emergence of smart environments. Among these, the so-called Smart Home (SH) has gained a lot of attention for the provision of enhanced quality of life within the home. The smart home concept was formalized by Lutolf, who primarily focused on the integration of different services within a home environment by using a common communication system. More recently, Satpathy proposed a smart home concept more centered on helping the residents live independently and comfortably with the help of mechanical and digital devices. This definition is closer to our current understanding of SHs.

One of the motivations for smart home research is the significant worldwide increase of an aging population. In fact, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the world’s elderly population (defined as people aged 60 and older) has increased drastically in the past decades and will reach about 2 billion in 2050 [3]. In Europe, the proportion of the EU27 elderly population above 65 years of age is foreseen to rise to 30% in 2060 [4].

The elderly have specific health issues that have to be considered. A significant proportion of elderly population suffer or may suffer with higher probability from age-related conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, different chronic diseases and limitations in physical functions. For them, SH technologies may help to enhance quality of life, prolong independent living and reduce caregivers’ necessary time and healthcare costs in general, without losing the safety that a continuous and unobtrusive monitoring provides. Thus the benefits of these technologies are not only for the older adults, but also their families, caregivers and society in general. This is what is sometimes known as Ambient Assisted Living (AAL).

Research objectives in this area range from low-level data acquisition by sensors up to high-level data integration and inference of knowledge through both data-driven and knowledge-driven approaches. Many recent works are related to activity recognition as a means of extracting higher-level information. There are different types of activities, but the common ground to all of them is that they should be recognizable as such by a non-technician (e.g., “preparing a meal”, “taking a bath” or “watch television while sitting on the sofa”). If human activities are correctly and automatically identified, a wide range of applications and services become possible, such as detection of health emergencies, early disease detection, professional advice on routine lifestyle, health status monitoring and help in treatment prescription. Some concrete examples of applications can be found in (a mobile emergency response system), (a fall detection system) and (which deals with monitoring activities of daily life and recommending services for active lifestyle).

Keywords

User Interfaces, Elderly impairment (visibility, sound and touch), Smart cities, Smart buildings, Smart environments.

Learning subject/ field

The trainer will start the session by a preliminary discussion with participants about their previous experiences with User interface (UI) and other forms of it. This is intended to be a warm-up activity to get familiar with terms as UI.

After this initial debate, the trainer will present the main ideas and concepts involving User interface (UI) and demonstrate its main functions. The different types of User interface (UI) and their usefulness for elderly people will be showed. This part of the session will be supported by a slide presentation prepared in advance.

Next, participants will learn about User interface (UI)- interfaces adapted to different kinds of elderly impairment (visibility, sound and touch). They will learn how User interface works and how they are becoming more and more efficient in supporting daily tasks and routine of elderly people. This will be followed by a practical activity. Participants will have the chance to experiment with different user interfaces (pc, tablet, smart phone).

This will be followed by an in-classroom activity, where participants will firstly discuss UI with each other and secondly, they would have to use personal adapted User interfaces (UI).

After this exercise, the trainer will wrap-up the session with a debriefing moment and a small evaluation of the session.

Session structure

The purpose of the session will be:

• to provide an introduction to the most suitable Interface in regards with their age-related impairments
• to facilitate settings in regards with their age-related impairments
• to discover the most suitable applications for their age-related impairments
• to motivate using and discover most suitable interface

Introduction

The trainer will start the session by a preliminary discussion with participants about their previous experiences with User interface (UI) and other forms of it. This is intended to be a warm-up activity to get familiar with terms as UI.

Step 1

After this initial debate, the trainer will present the main ideas and concepts involving User interface (UI) and demonstrate its main functions. The different types of User interface (UI) and their usefulness for elderly people will be showed. This part of the session will be supported by a slide presentation prepared in advance.

Step 2

Next, participants will learn about User interface (UI)- interfaces adapted to different kinds of elderly impairment (visibility, sound and touch). They will learn how User interface works and how they are becoming more and more efficient in supporting daily tasks and routine of elderly people. This will be followed by a practical activity. Participants will have the chance to experiment with different user interfaces (pc, tablet, smart phone).

Step 3

This will be followed by an in-classroom activity, where participants will firstly discuss UI with each other and secondly, they would have to use personal adapted User interfaces (UI).

Homework

Participant should watch the videos below and try to imagine and write down the most suitable forms of UI for them. What is USER INTERFACE? What does USER INTERFACE mean? USER INTERFACE meaning & explanation

Defriefing

After this exercise, the trainer will wrap-up the session with a debriefing moment and a small evaluation of the session.

Evaluation

Participants will answer a small questionnaire to evaluate the form and the content of the session.

Overall duration of the session

1 hour and 30 min

References

• What is USER INTERFACE? What does USER INTERFACE mean? USER INTERFACE meaning & explanation