Persuasive Technologies for Active Ageing

Most of the world countries are challenged with a large ageing population who spend most of their time at home and are mostly sedentary (8.5 hours per day as of today). Sedentary behavior and physical inactivity affect the social, physical and mental states of people leading to social isolation and physical declines and hence an ideal candidate for chronic and degenerative diseases. To maintain an active aging process (healthy state of physical, mental and social wellbeing), regular and daily exercising is necessary. However, many older adults do not maintain regular exercising due to poor health, lack of company, lack of motivation, lack of transportation and suitable outdoor facilities. In this context, home based physical exercises can help people maintain their physical activity and ICT can act as a key player and facilitator by providing interactive training applications (through desktops and mobile devices), self-monitoring (using activity trackers and wearables) and automated coaching (using rule-based systems or remote assistance). Yet, for many people and, in particular, the sedentary older population at home; even with the existence of the technology, there is not enough motivation to maintain a regular exercising routine. Thus, this thesis aims to investigate the IT-mediated persuasive strategies that help independent-living older adults at home to maintain a regular exercising lifestyle. In particular, this research examines the effect of social inclusion and group exercising on the motivation of trainees at home to adhere to the training program which has proven to be effective

From Deployments Of Elder Care Service Robots To The Design Of Affordable Low-Complexity End-Effectors And Novel Manipulation Techniques

This thesis proposes an investigation on both behavioral and technical aspects of human-robot interaction (HRI) in elder care settings, in view of an affordable platform capable of executing desired tasks. The behavioral investigation combines a qualitative study with focus groups and surveys from not only the elders’ standpoint, but also from the standpoint of healthcare professionals to investigate suitable tasks to be accomplished by a service robot in such environments. Through multiple deployments of various robot embodiments at actual elder care facilities (such as at a low-income Supportive Apartment Living, SAL, and Program of All-Inclusive Care, PACE Centers) and interaction with older adults, design guidelines are developed to improve on both interaction and usability aspects. This need assessment informed the technical investigation of this work, where we initially propose picking and placing objects using end-effectors without internal mobility (or zero degrees-of-freedom, DOF), considering both quasi-static (tipping and regrasping as in-hand manipulation) and dynamic approaches. Maximizing grasping versatility by allowing robots to grasp multiple objects sequentially using a single end-effector and actuator is also proposed. These novel manipulation techniques and end-effector designs focus on minimizing robot hardware usage and cost, while still performing complex tasks and complying with safety constraints imposed by the elder care facilities

Enhanced Living Environments

This open access book was prepared as a Final Publication of the COST Action IC1303 “Algorithms, Architectures and Platforms for Enhanced Living Environments (AAPELE)”. The concept of Enhanced Living Environments (ELE) refers to the area of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) that is more related with Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Effective ELE solutions require appropriate ICT algorithms, architectures, platforms, and systems, having in view the advance of science and technology in this area and the development of new and innovative solutions that can provide improvements in the quality of life for people in their homes and can reduce the financial burden on the budgets of the healthcare providers. The aim of this book is to become a state-of-the-art reference, discussing progress made, as well as prompting future directions on theories, practices, standards, and strategies related to the ELE area. The book contains 12 chapters and can serve as a valuable reference for undergraduate students, post-graduate students, educators, faculty members, researchers, engineers, medical doctors, healthcare organizations, insurance companies, and research strategists working in this area

iPLAY: the psychological effects of customized feedback in videogames

This dissertation extended the concept of customization to the domain of videogames and explored the nuances of individualized feedback in concert with other important variables in the gaming context (distraction during game play and information on player progress). Specifically, Study 1 employed a 2 (distraction: low vs. high) x 3 (feedback type: customized, non-customized, no feedback) experimental design to explore the interplay between feedback and distraction on the outcome measures of attitude toward the game and game performance. The results revealed that customized feedback was superior to other forms of feedback in generating positive attitudes toward content as well as improving performance of certain types of behaviors. These effects were mediated by perceptions of motivation and relevance. Study 2 aimed to further unravel the role of distraction in customized feedback by including progress information as an additional independent variable. Specifically, Study 2 employed a 2 (distraction: low vs. high) x 4 (progress information: no progress information, low progress medium progress, high progress) experimental design, where all participants were provided individualized feedback. The findings revealed some unexpected patterns such that the absence of any progress information invoked most favorable attitudes while participants in the high distraction condition exhibited high scores on the performance measure via decreased attention. In summary, this dissertation puts forth several explanations for inconsistencies in feedback research while touting the benefits of providing customized feedback.Doctor of Philosoph

The Elusive Silver Gamer: Representations and Practices of Older Video Game Players

Over the past two decades, the increasing academic, institutional and media interest in older adults who play video games has popularized the figure of the “silver gamer” and its project of successful aging through digital play. This doctoral research examines what is at stake in older adults’ video game play. It stands at the intersection of the studies of aging, game studies, and studies of technology. The research accounts for the reciprocal relationship between discourses and practices as well as the agentivity of players within a constraining environment. It draws on fieldwork conducted in 2019-2020 in France: on one hand, biographical semi-directive interviews with sixteen older adults who play video games on their own; and, on the other hand, the ethnography of an association that organizes video game workshops in aged care institution, with non-participant observation in thirty of these workshops. The dissertation begins with an examination of the conflicted relationship between old age, play, and digital technology that limits older adults’ ability to become video game players. It then investigates the “silver gamer” discourse, outlining its techno-enthusiastic anti-aging narrative and its difficult implementation as a result of older players’ indifference towards its promises. The figure of the “silver gamer” establishes a narrow scope for older adults’ play, associated with health and self-discipline rather than fun or skill. The dissertation proposes an analysis of older adults’ gaming careers and play practices. The distinctive patterns in older adults’ video game play reflect the uneasy cultural and social condition of old age in contemporary societies. Older players tend to be particularly selfconscious, isolated from other players, discreet, and stable in their choice of games. Their play articulates a complex moral economy around time, freedom, and productivity. Their video game play exhibits a sense of marginality and restriction, but also adaptability and resistance, that is grounded in the experience of old age. The present research argues that the cultural representations, social norms, and material conditions associated with this stage of the life course interacts with individuals’ experience of leisure, play, and technology. In sum, (old) age matters in (video game) play

Southern Accent September 2021 - April 2022

Southern Adventist University\u27s newspaper, Southern Accent, for the 2021-2022 academic year.https://knowledge.e.southern.edu/southern_accent/1103/thumbnail.jp

SHELDON Smart habitat for the elderly.

An insightful document concerning active and assisted living under different perspectives: Furniture and habitat, ICT solutions and Healthcare