Voice-activated digital home assistants (DHA) like the Amazon Echo hold great potential to support the everyday home activities of older adults— and especially those with disabilities. However, there is a need to understand more about how these devices are perceived by this population. A new TechSAge article in Gerontechnology provides insights on the initial perceptions and use of DHA devices by older adults with disabilities. The research team introduced two different Amazon Echo form-factors to a group of older adults with and without disabilities, observed their initial use of the devices, and interviewed participants on their experiences. Older adults with no prior use of DHAs demonstrated positive initial attitudes toward the devices and were able to successfully use them following brief instruction. The authors identified potential usability issues and discussed how findings can drive the future design of DHAs to better meet the home-based needs of an aging population. Read the full article by Travis Kadylak, Kenneth Blocker, Christopher Kovac, and Wendy Rogers.  

David Peeler is a recent Georgia Tech graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science who now works at the Institute for People and Technology. With TechSAge, David supports the D2 Monitoring and Managing Falls project, developing a watch-based mobile application that detects whether a wheelchair user has fallen out of their chair. David specializes in machine learning and android development. Fun fact: David loves to spread awareness about Alpha Gal Syndrome— a severe red meat allergy that he has had for the past five years.