Abstract
Millions of people with motor and cognitive disabilities face hardships in daily life due to the limited accessibility and inclusiveness of living spaces which limit their autonomy and independence. The DOMHO project deals with these fundamental issues by leveraging an innovative solution: a smart co-housing apartment. Besides, the project aims at exploiting the well know effects of co-housing on individuals’ health and well-being in combination with ambient assisted living technologies. The present study focused on the interaction of caregivers with the control application of an integrated smart system. Participants performed different tasks, fill out a questionnaire, and were interviewed. Performance and usability of the user interface, trust in technology, privacy, and attitudes towards home automation were explored. A series of guidelines for domotic technology control interfaces design was identified, and a high level of trust in these advanced tools was shown. Caregivers considered smart technologies as a work aid and a means for enhancing autonomy and life quality for users with disabilities.
Highlights
To date, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that at least 1 billion people in the world are affected by some form of disability, which corresponds to about 15% of the entire population above 15 years old (World Health Organization, 2020)
This study firstly highlights some of the characteristics that similar systems should present to elicit a positive user experience and be accepted by caregivers, such as flexibility in the terminology and organization of a control interface elements, the presence of appropriate feedbacks and so on
The research highlights that the whole assisted living environment has been well accepted by the caregivers
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that at least 1 billion people in the world are affected by some form of disability, which corresponds to about 15% of the entire population above 15 years old (World Health Organization, 2020). These numbers are still growing, given the increased population’s life expectancy and related health diseases. Insofar as disabilities are a relevant issue in our society, significant efforts must be made to support the health and well-being of individuals that are affected by these conditions. Efforts have been directed towards the research on innovative technological solutions to mitigate or solve the above-mentioned issues to increase the quality of life (QoL)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
