Nick Hine

Issues surrounding the user-centred development of a new interactive memory aid

Memory problems are often associated with the ageing process and are one of the commonest effects of brain injury. Electronic memory aids have been successfully used as a compensatory approach to provide reminders to individuals with prospective memory problems. This paper describes the usability issues surrounding the development of a new memory aid rendered on a personal digital assistant (PDA); in addition, it discusses the importance of a user-centred design process for the development of the memory aid and preliminary qualitative findings from interviews and focus groups of disabled or elderly users.

Usable technology? Challenges in designing a memory aid with current electronic devices

Abstract Electronic devices such as personal digital assistants have been used successfully as aids for people with memory problems. However, limitations of currently available technology can create difficulties in the day-to-day use of such devices, particularly for memory impaired and older users. These limitations are discussed in terms of both the software and hardware issues, and are set into the context of challenges raised in the current study, which is to design a new interactive memory aid. It is concluded that a specific, customisable software interface is needed to meet the dynamic requirements of the user groups. This would also go some way to compensate for the hardware limitations until available technology becomes more usable.

Monitoring the Well-being of Older People

This article examines the use of pervasive computing for the provision of care in the community for frail older people living alone in their own homes. The concept of well-being is explored using a conceptual framework that incorporates person, context, everyday activities, personal meanings, and well-being outcomes. The article reviews the implications of this model for developing a practical system within the home of an older person using nonintrusive pervasive sensors and computing devices to monitor indicators of his or her well-being. The data from sensors in the home can be used to detect trends in 6 key activities, which might be indicators of changes in the functional, psychological, and social status of the person. The aim of the well-being monitoring system is to provide care workers and carers with an intuitive early warning system to allow appropriate care interventions, leading to improved care services and an enhanced quality of life for the individual.

Remote experimentation network - yielding an inter-university peer-to-peer e-service

The goal of this paper is to discuss the benefits and challenges of yielding an inter-continental network of remote laboratories supported and used by both European and Latin American Institutions of Higher Education. Since remote experimentation, understood as the ability to carry out real-world experiments through a simple Web browser, is already a proven solution for the educational community as a supplement to on-site practical lab work (and in some cases, namely for distance learning courses, a replacement to that work), the purpose is not to discuss its technical, pedagogical, or economical strengths, but rather to raise and try to answer some questions about the underlying benefits and challenges of establishing a peer-to-peer network of remote labs. Ultimately, we regard such a network as a constructive mechanism to help students gain the working and social skills often valued by multinational/global companies, while also providing awareness of local cultural aspects

Assistive social interaction for non-speaking people living in the community

The move from institution to community care has resulted in more disabled and elderly people receiving care at home. For some, their disability or frailty prevents them from being involved in social activities outside the home, resulting in unacceptable social isolation. This problem is compounded if the person has a speech or language impairment. In general, social interaction is important for people, and they often use stories, pictures and other media to present important events to others, In this paper, we will describe a communication service designed to provide non-speaking people with a means to interact socially when living independently, based on the sharing of stories using pictures and other media.

A multimedia social interaction service for inclusive community living: Initial user trials

Abstract.The move from institution to community care has resulted in many people receiving care at home. For some, disability or frailty restricts their involvement in social activities outside the home, resulting in unacceptable social isolation. This problem is compounded if the person has a speech or language impairment. In this paper, we will describe a communication service designed to provide nonspeaking people with a means to interact socially when living independently, based on the sharing of stories using pictures and other media. Initial exploration on the usability of the system by a pair of representative users will be described.

Design issues encountered in the development of a mobile multimedia augmentative communication service

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems can be mounted on a range of different hardware platforms, from custom-designed units to desktop or laptop personal computers and hand-held and palmtop systems. Palmtop devices such as personal data assistants (PDAs) offer great advantages of portability. The small display size and limited storage and processing capacity of a PDA compared to larger systems are likely to impose some limitations on the range of AAC applications which can be supported, however, particularly when multimedia-based applications are considered. This paper addresses issues involved in migrating a multimedia AAC application onto a palm-top PDA and discusses the user involvement in the re-engineering of the system for that environment. Outcomes from an initial practical trial with a person who uses AAC are reported.

Standardization work on personalized eHealth systems

For widespread adoption of eHealth, and to achieve eInclusion and eAccessibility, eHealth systems must be tailored to each individual users needs and preferences. Many eHealth products and services contain adjustable parameter settings, but they are specific to each product and unrelated to each other. This paper describes ongoing work to establish standards and guidelines for personalization of eHealth systems, taking into account the needs of all users, both clients and caregivers. The standard builds on a generic ‘user profile’, which stores data about the users, their preferences and their context. This profile can then be used by eHealth services and devices to ensure a user experience tailored to each person. The work surveys relevant areas of personalization, like identity management, profile management etc, addressing in depth those aspects of personalization that are specific to eHealth: User capabilities, care provider roles and functions, health related information, and confidentiality measures.

Modelling the behaviour of elderly people as a means of monitoring well being

The care of elderly people in their own homes is being promoted throughout the world. The proportion of older people within western societies is rising, and it is anticipated that the already stretched resources of both the informal and formal care sectors will be unable to meet demand for home based care in the near future. This paper reports on work being undertaken within the BT Care in the Community project to model the lives of older people in order to understand, anticipate and respond to their home based care needs.

Requirements gathering with diverse user groups and stakeholders

An interactive theatre piece has been designed to facilitate requirements gathering with a diverse range of user groups and stakeholders within the conceptual stage of telecare equipment for the home environment. The piece has been devised and produced by theatre professionals in consultation with computer engineers as part of a major research programme developing computer systems to support older and disabled people. By the interaction of a researcher, two actors and some video-clips, this piece demonstrates: a) the vital importance of all stakeholders being properly consulted and for them to inter-communicate well, and b) the role of theatre as a tool in this process. The rationale and methodology of this technique is discussed in an interactive session with the audience.