Designing technology with older people

Designing applications to support older people in their own homes is increasing in popularity and necessity. The increase in supporting older people in the community means that cash-strapped resources are required to be utilised in the most effective manner, which often lends itself to technology deployment, rather than human deployment as the former is perceived as more cost effective. Therefore, the concern arises as to how technology can be designed inclusively and acceptably to the people who are to receive it. This paper discusses the issue of design, and how these concerns have been addressed in a series of projects targeted towards directly supporting people in the community.     

The impact of age on website usability

As the general and working populations age in most developed nations, the study of website usability for older adults is becoming increasingly relevant. Website usability is concerned with both utilitarian (i.e. functional) and hedonic (i.e. pleasure-related) aspects. A new website usability model is proposed that considers the effects of age on website usability through cognitive antecedents that are most relevant to age-related effects. Specifically, spatial ability is the declining cognitive skill of particular interest in this research. A laboratory experiment was conducted where younger and older participants interacted with an experimental website. The results suggest that age has a pronounced impact on performance as a mediated effect through declining levels spatial ability and mental model accuracy as well as through a direct effect suggesting the presence of other objective and subjective changes associated with aging that could impact performance. Perceived disorientation was also examined within the proposed website usability model, revealing both expected and surprising findings.     

The impact of University of the Third Age courses on ICT adoption

Information and communication technologies (ICT) are widely reported to increase older adults’ quality of life, although their use is limited among the older cohorts. This study analyzed the effects of education on ICT adoption by focusing on the impact of older adult education. Relying on a survey of 135 Italian seniors, we found that, in addition to the positive effect of formal education, seniors taking part in University of the Third Age (U3A) courses had higher ICT use. Specifically, ICT adoption increased by 18.5% for high school graduates and up to 39% for those who completed a primary school diploma.     

Personal values as determinants of intentions to use self-service technology in retailing

The current study examines personal values and consumer traits as antecedents of attitudes toward using self-service technologies (SSTs), which, in turn, affect intentions to use SSTs. The specific SST selected for this study is a self-checkout system for grocery retailers. This study used a panel database and collected data using a self-administered online survey. The results of this study highlight the important role of consumer traits as an additional contributing factor in explaining how personal values lead to SST usage intentions. Although this study partially confirms the direct effects of personal values on attitudes, it shows that utilitarian and hedonic attitudes toward using SSTs are determined by personal values through the consumer traits (i.e., need for human interaction and SST self-efficacy). Lastly, this study reveals that only utilitarian attitudes have a significant effect on the intention to use SSTs. Findings from this study not only fill the gap in the literature, but also provide retailers, marketers, and SST business personnel with comprehensive insight into consumers' underlying needs and desires that prompt them to use SSTs. In particular, this study contributes to the existing literature by examining an extended value-attitude-behavior model with an additional variable, namely consumer traits.     

A commercial perspective on universal access and assistive technology: towards implementation

This paper presents one companys perspective on the implementation and provision of universal access (UA) and assistive technology in an industrial setting. The paper addresses the need to provide accessible work-places and also accessible customer services, from legal, commercial and ethical standpoints. The company in question, Royal Mail, is one of the UKs largest employers and service providers and so has been able to gather employee and customer data often unavailable to smaller organisations.     

Personalization of Web browsing: adaptations to meet the needs of older adults

Despite difficulties in using the Web, older adults are motivated to use it. This paper reports on work underway to ease Web access for this population. Although Web accessibility standards provide specifications that Web content providers must incorporate if their pages are to be accessible, these standards do not guarantee a good experience for all Web users. This paper will discuss user controls that make a number of dynamic adaptations to page presentation and input that can greatly increase the usability of Web pages for older users. The paper will discuss the authors original work on the topic, lessons learned, and usage patterns. Current extensions to that work are also discussed.     

Augmented reality technology combined with three-dimensional holography to train the mental rotation ability of older adults

A decline in the cognitive ability of mental rotation causes a poor sense of spatial direction and environmental cognitive capacity. Currently, training tasks for the elderly thus affected are still presented in 2D form. However, clinical research indicates that this strategy generates a cognitive load that reduces the interest of the trainees and diminishes the effects of training. In contrast, augmented reality (AR) is a rising solution that effectively reduces cognitive load, improves the sense of spatial direction of the elderly, and helps increase interest in training. We recruited 28 elderly (age ≥ 65 years) for this study. Fourteen were randomly assigned to an active Intervention group and were given AR-based 3D hologram (AR-3DH) mental rotation training, and 14 were assigned to a group that used the traditional 2D model. Both groups took ABA-designed pre-and post-tests that required inferring the rotating shapes' states from standard mental rotation tasks. Change scores for the two groups were compared using error rates and reaction times as covariates. After six-week of training, the mental rotation ability of the Intervention group improved through the use of AR-3DH training system during the intervention phase. The practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed.     

信息技术对管理沟通的影响

随着现代化企业管理制度的不断革新,企业的管理者逐渐对信息交流以及员工间的信息沟通给予了高度重视。在信息技术的高度发展下,管理者与员工间的沟通更为便捷、高效,达到的沟通效果也是更加令人满意。文中首先对信息技术及其重要性进行分析,然后,探索信息技术的不断改进对管理沟通的重要促进作用。     

How older people account for their experiences with interactive technology

We present a qualitative study, undertaken over a period of nine months, of older people facing the challenges of learning to use interactive technology, specifically personal computers (PCs) and the internet. We examine the range of causal explanations (attributions) voiced by the group in accounting for their difficulties with it. A discourse analysis of these data reveals some factors (anxiety, age-related issues, being too busy to learn and the need for a purpose for the new tools) that support the work of other researchers, while other themes (issues around alienation, identity and agency) deepen understanding of this domain. The implications of the results for how we approach understanding the difficulties faced by older people in this context are discussed.     

Online shopping drivers and barriers for older adults: Age and gender differences

The use of the Internet by older adults is growing at a substantial rate. They are becoming an increasingly important potential market for electronic commerce. However, previous researchers and practitioners have focused mainly on the youth market and paid less attention to issues related to the online behaviors of older consumers. To bridge the gap, the purpose of this study is to increase a better understanding of the drivers and barriers affecting older consumers’ intention to shop online. To this end, this study is developed by integrating the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and innovation resistance theory. By comparing younger consumers with their older counterparts, in terms of gender the findings indicate that the major factors driving older adults toward online shopping are performance expectation and social influence which is the same with younger. On the other hand, the major barriers include value, risk, and tradition which is different from younger. Consequently, it is notable that older adults show no gender differences in regards to the drivers and barriers.     

基于EPON技术的配电通信接入网的研究设计

近几年来,科学技术以及电力自动化系统的不断发展,对配电通信接入网的设计提出了更高的要求。配电自动化是智能电网建设的重要组成部分,配电通信接入网的性能以及安全性直接影响配电自动化通信的安全。本文针对EPON技术做一简单阐述,重点探讨基于EPON技术的配电通信接入网的设计方案,最后通过实例验证该方案的可行性。     

Using sketches and storyboards to assess impact of age difference in user experience

We compared two versions of a touch-screen digital thermostat using a framework encompassing several user experience (UX) characteristics, and here describe how the implementation of certain design factors (specialists, praises, tooltips and increased interactivity) was done on mixed-fidelity prototypes of the user interface. We illustrate how the experimental comparison, involving 20 university students and 20 older adults, revealed important differences in UX, including perceived ease of use, behavioral intentions, enjoyment, quality, satisfaction, trust and usability, measured mainly through established questionnaires.Analysis revealed that using that kind of artifacts is a very cost effective way to elicit interesting and useful results; many UX variables are significantly affected by design factors and by age differences, as expected; effects of design factors go well beyond usability and therefore could not be caught by running an investigation focused only on usability.Age difference matters: older adults do not respond to addition of specialists, praises and tooltips as younger users do. We argue that potential benefits of these design choices are outweigh by the increase in complexity of the user interface.From a methodological viewpoint we suggest using a particular array of UX characteristics and metrics when testing mixed-fidelity prototypes. Not all the metrics that we adopted were equally useful, and in particular perceived usability, subjective mental effort, and emotions did not help us highlighting differences.     

基于IPV6技术的网络接入技术研究

如今,互联网的发展可谓是日新月异,IPV4的局限性日渐显露,地址不足严重影响了互联网的应用与发展.为了弥补IPV4的不足,IPV6技术便横空出世,其IP地址长度为128位,这足够使全球的每一个电子设备连入互联网,并且IPV6在安全方面、网络管理方面、服务质量方面以及移动功能方面都较IPV4有显著的提升.但由于诸多因素IPV6还不能在短时间内普及,IPV4升级到IPV6还需要一个漫长的过渡期.本文浅析当前主流的隧道技术与双栈技术,研究如何通过这两项网络接入技术,以最小的经济代价和最便捷灵活的方式,来实现IPV4向IPV6的平滑过渡.     

The impact of high access to computers on learning

Abstract Researchers at Queen's University, Belfast recently completed a study into the potential of portable 'laptop' or 'notebook' computers in schools. Over 235 pupils in nine schools were provided with a personal portable computer for a whole school year. One aspect of the research was to assess the impact which the high access to information technology (IT) had on the pupils' learning. Five experimental/control class groups (with/ without laptops) were matched for age, gender and ability. The performance of these pupils in mathematics, English and science tests was measured before and after the 'treatment' period and the comparisons were analysed. A number of interesting effects were observed and these indicated, with due recognition of the project constraints, that the impact of high access to computers on learning in mathematics, English and science was at best marginal.     

Age differences in constraints encountered by seniors in their use of computers and the internet

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore older computer users’ constraints at various age stages. We investigated perceived barriers experienced by older adults in the use of computer-mediated information technology in different age segments (the pre-senior, the young-old, and the older-old). Two hundred forty-three senior computer users participated in the study. Respondents’ ages ranged from 50 to 93. Results from exploratory factor analysis and one-way analysis of variance suggested that there were four dimensions of constraints encountered by seniors while dealing with computer-based technologies: Intrapersonal, interpersonal, structural, and functional constraints. These results indicated that senior users might face diverse barriers at different age stages. Implications for developing an effective programming for older adults and research limitations were discussed at the end.     

The attitudes,impact, and learning needs of older adults using apps on touchscreen mobile devices: Results from a pilot study

Despite the proliferation in understanding older adults’ acceptance and limitations of Internet technology, the learning needs of older adults living in low Internet usage areas and their acceptance of touchscreen-based apps have lagged behind. This study describes an embedded mixed-method research evaluation of an eight-week touchscreen mobile device training for thirty-nine older adults who were recruited from a community center in a low Internet usage area in southern Taiwan. Among the participants, 20 completed both the pre-test and the post-test and 16 attended the focus group interviews. The design of the training course was based on constructs informed by the diffusion of innovation theory and the technology acceptance model, and it incorporated both a classroom-based and small group tutoring approach. After the training session, the participants reported significantly lower depressive symptom scores compared to baseline. Qualitative interviews reveal the participants’ learning needs related to extended practice, usefulness, and compatibility in adopting touch-screen apps. Findings from this study shed light on the possibility of touchscreen-based apps, including health-, entertainment-, transportation-, and social media-related apps, for improving psychological well-being in older adults with limited Internet experience living in the community. Discussion on their learning needs was also provided.     

基于802．Ix协议的准入控制技术

本文首先分析了网路准入控制原理以及网路准入控制技术的实现方式进行了探讨,运用802．1x协议的网路准入方式的工作和应用进行探讨,并对网路准入控制技术结合安全管理系统对网路安全模式进行了再一次规整。     

基于OPNET的IEEE802．11信道接入技术仿真研究

信道接入控制技术是实现无线网络节点共享无线信道空间的关键技术。IEEE802．11作为无线局域网的一个重要协议标准,定义了两种信道接入控制方式,分别是分布式协调方式和中心协调方式。本文主要研究了以IEEE802．11协议标准为对象的无线局域网两种信道接入技术的学习和讨论,并运用先进的网络仿真工具OPNET对信道接入技术进行了仿真研究,总结了不同信道接入技术下的无线局域网的网络性能。指出设计网络时需要根据不同情况来选用不同的方式来进行通信。     

Evaluating websites for older adults: adherence to ‘senior-friendly’ guidelines and end-user performance

Older adults in the US are the fastest-growing demographic, and also the largest-growing group of internet users. The aim of this research was to evaluate websites designed for older adults in terms of (i) how well they adhere to ‘senior-friendly’ guidelines and (ii) overall ease of use and satisfaction. In Experiment I, 40 websites designed for older adults were heuristically evaluated based on their adherence to usability guidelines derived by the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine. In Experiment II, three websites with varying levels of guideline compliance were evaluated by older adults in a usability test. Results from this study indicate that the website most compliant with the ‘senior-friendly’ guidelines resulted in higher task success, but did not result in significantly better efficiency, satisfaction, or preference. These findings demonstrate the importance of using both guidelines and usability testing when designing websites for older adults.