Individuals with long-term mobility disabilities are likely to experience challenges with activities at home, such as controlling their home environment, engaging in physical activity, interacting with others, and managing their health. Voice-activated digital assistants, such as the Amazon Alexa devices, have great potential to support this population in carrying out these activities as independently as possible at home with the ease of speaking commands. Alexa can be paired with a variety of smart home technologies, such as robotic vacuums and smart light bulbs, to help people with limited mobility complete activities at home as independently as possible.
In this project, we are developing a suite of voice-activated digital assistant applications to support the health and independence of people aging with mobility disabilities. Lastly, since many older adults experience technical challenges with set up and use of these digital assistant devices, we will develop and test an instructional guide with clear step-by-step instructions to facilitate independent use.
Learn more about how the apps and instructional guide developed in this project will be tested for efficacy and usefulness in the R2. Voice-Activated Digital Assistants Research Project.
Picture below: (left) A cognitive walk-through of instructional protocol for device set-up and use. (right) An adapted display model of a door with a traditional lock that can be fitted with the (Alexa adaptable) August Lock.
