Abstract

Everyday more and more ubiquitous applications are developed to support aging in place and ambient assisted living. Although these technologies typically adhere to the functional requirements defined by their developers, many of these solutions evidence limitations for being adopted by end-users, i.e., older adults. This paper reports the authors' experience in the design and deployment of several iterations of the SocialConnector systema computer-supported family communication mediatoras a case study that helps identify key factors that ease the adoption of ambient intelligent systems encouraging intergenerational family communication at home. The particularity of the followed approach is to assemble widely available mass-market technologysuch as commercial Tablet PCs and TV displaysglued together with innovative software, as a way to drive system adoption through economically affordable hardware running over empirically-driven considerations for designing effective software in this study domain. The case study results help researchers and practitioners to conceive technology that has a better chance of being embraced by older adults and their supporting family networks; particularly, when such a technology is going to be deployed in their homes. Therefore, the key design factors identified in this paper can be used to inform the conception and modeling of ambient intelligent systems that help older adults address several aspects of their aging in place process, like health monitoring, personal security, social engagement, support to daily activities, and ultimately, fostering wellbeing.