Tools

TechSAge Tools

TechSAge has designed this tool series to provide its readers with guides on how to conduct various aspects of human factors research. The tools have a focus on including the target population of older adults with disabilities. 

  • Conducting Research with Adults Aging with Sensory and Mobility Disabilities: This tool provides an overview of how to incorporate persons who are aging with disabilities into research studies, by 1) discussing the importance and need for including persons with disabilities in research; 2) offering recommendations for accommodations 3) highlighting examples of research studies from TechSAge; and 4) pointing to useful resources.
  • Guidelines for Delivering Telewellness Programs to Older Adults with Disabilities: This tool provides guidelines for designing wellness classes delivered via video conferencing, or “telewellness” classes, for older adults with disabilities. It includes key considerations in the design and execution of telewellness programs, (e.g., software selection, safety, class organization and logistics, social time structure, and technical support), which are informed by our experience developing and conducting a Tele Tai Chi program as part of a clinical trial.
  • Design Iterations Tracking: This tool discusses strategies for successful iteration tracking for research and product development. Specifically, how designing for older adults with disabilities can slim down the iterations and increase usability. 
  • Heuristic Analysis: This tool is designed to give an overview of what a heuristic evaluation is, how to score it, and how to detect heuristic violations. Heuristic evaluations make the design of systems more usable, however, this tool goes further by suggesting additional accommodations to be made by designers who are developing or evaluating systems for older adults with disabilities is also discussed.
  • Personas for Designing for Individuals Aging with Mobility Impairment : This tool provides a set of 10 personas, suitable for classroom or instructional usage, which were developed to aid in the design of technology and environments for individuals aging with mobility impairment. Personas represent themes of real-life, everyday activity challenges among individuals in this population that emerged from an in-home study our team conducted. Each persona includes key contextual information about the fictional individual and a design challenge. For more information on the development of these personas, read the technical report.

Amazon Echo User Guides

  • Basic Uses: This user guide provides a useful and easy-to-use tool to help you learn how to use your Amazon Echo device to its full potential. It features relevant resources and information that can help you learn common voice commands, customize settings, and resolve potential problems. 

  • Setting Up: This user guide provides step-by-step, visual instructions to help you successfully set up your Amazon Echo device so it can be properly used to perform the actions or tasks that you want to do. Learn about the various Amazon Echo products, how to set up your Alexa account, and more, so you can gain the most benefits from these smart and connected technologies. 

  • Social Communication: This user guide provides information and instructions related to how you can use your Amazon Echo to stay in-touch with friends, family, and the community using the built-in social features of the device. Learn about how to add contacts, make calls, and 'drop-in' on other connected Echo devices

  • Environmental Control: This user guide, originally developed for use in our field trial, describes the setup and basic uses of two common environmental control technologies used with the Amazon Echo: a smart light bulb (Philips Hue) and smart plug (Amazon smart plug). Learn about how to get them connected, what they can do, and how you can use them with your Echo to control your home environment and other non-smart technologies.

  • Health Applications: This user guide provides instruction on how you can use your Amazon Echo device to assist you with tracking and understanding your health. It introduces some applications that have been created for the device, which help you simplify and remember to do certain health-related tasks. Learn how to use a small sampling of some of these health-related applications that you might find useful for managing your health as you age.

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