Digital Senses and Cognitive Assistance

Abstract

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and one of its Future Directions team have initiated work on “digital senses” based on technologies that relate to various human sensory systems. One of the major objectives of this initiative is to promote alliances in the three focus areas of virtual reality, augmented reality, and human augmentation. Taking similar views, this part aims to show how combining the understandings about human senses with the advances in sensor technologies and the permeating nature of the IoT, can be of great value for aged care, cognitive assistance, and provision of disability services. The primary aim of these assistive devices and technologies is to enhance the functioning, independent participation, and overall quality of life for individuals. Some samples of such technologies, along with examples of the devices and systems that can be used in these contexts, are also discussed in this chapter. The discussions start with the traditional AT, then cover cognition assistance, and improvements of these two AT types through sensing to reach context-aware individualized ambient assisted living.