Constructing a smart home for future elders toward all-around happiness: Taking connectivity as the core element

Abstract

Smart homes, as one of the most prosperous industries of the Internet of Things, have tremendous potential in helping the elderly aging in place and dealing with the global aging society challenges. This study takes the needs of future elderly in China as a starting point and proposes that the core requirement of the aging group is "connectivity", smart homes for older adults should assist them with connectivity establishment both physically and psychologically to improve their quality of life and help them live an independent, safe, and happy life in their older stage. The article defines the types of elderly connectivity needs as two main types and eight sub-connectivity, and further puts forward thirty smart home subsystems and their implementation elements. Moreover, the research applies the Kano model and questionnaire survey to provide the empirical proof of those thirty smart home subsystems based on the analysis of 371 questionnaire responses. Last but not least, we construct a five-layer architecture and abstract four principles on the connectivity building of a smart home for future Chinese elders. The research explores the possibility of building a wide range of connectivity and all-around happiness smart home environment for future elderly, which provides significant insights and an important reference for both the smart home industry and the pension industry.