Human centered interfaces for assisted living

Abstract

Assisted living has a particular social importance in most developed societies, due to the increased life expectancy of the general population and the ensuing ageing problems. It has also importance for the provision of improved home care in cases of disabled persons or persons suffering from certain diseases that have high social impact. This paper is primarily focused on the description of the human centered interface specifications, research and implementations for systems geared towards the well-being of aged people. Two tasks will be investigated in more detail: a) nutrition support to prevent undernourishment/malnutrition and dehydration, and b) affective interfaces that can help assessing the emotional status of the elderly. Such interfaces can be supported by ambient intelligence and robotic technologies. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.