Wiktoria Wilkowska

Privacy and data security in E-health: requirements from the user's perspective.

In this study two currently relevant aspects of using medical assistive technologies were addressed—security and privacy. In a two-step empirical approach that used focus groups (n = 19) and a survey (n = 104), users’ requirements for the use of medical technologies were collected and evaluated. Specifically, we focused on the perceived importance of data security and privacy issues. Outcomes showed that both security and privacy aspects play an important role in the successful adoption of medical assistive technologies in the home environment. In particular, analysis of data with respect to gender, health-status and age (young, middle-aged and old users) revealed that females and healthy adults require, and insist on, the highest security and privacy standards compared with males and the ailing elderly.

From cloud computing to mobile Internet, from user focus to culture and hedonism: The crucible of mobile health care and Wellness applications

With the rise of mobile Internet and cloud computing new ubiquitous medical services will emerge coinciding with changes in demographics and social structures. Mobile e-health and Wellness applications can help relieving the burden of accelerating health care costs due to aging societies. In order to leverage these new innovations a holistic approach must be considered. Facilitating user centered design, acceptance models for user diversity and cultural as well as hedonic aspects can lead to development of services that improve therapy compliance and can even change the youths lifestyle. An overview of such applications is presented and put into a cultural context.

A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Ambient Assisted Living

E-health, assistive technologies and applications for assisted living , E-health, assistive technologies and applications for assisted living , کتابخانه مرکزی دانشگاه علوم پزشکی ایران

Openness to accept medical technology - a cultural view

Technology acceptance is a widely acknowledged key player in explaining technology adoption. However, there is a notable knowledge gap concerning the impact of cultural factors on technology acceptance, especially in the medical sector. It is evident though that countries differ greatly regarding their technical proneness, development and usage habits what should have considerable impact on acceptance. This study compares the openness to accept medical technology in Germany, Poland and Turkey. 300 respondents (19-85 years, 56% women, 38% chronically ill) participated in a survey, in which the pros and cons for using medical technologies were examined as well as the underlying acceptance motives and utilization barriers. The effects of different cultures, but also of age, gender and health status were analyzed regarding their impact on acceptance patterns. Results reveal both, culturally insensitive as well culturally sensitive acceptance, with strong effects of gender and exercising frequency. Overall, the study corroborates the importance of cultural views on technology acceptance.

Accounting for User Diversity in the Acceptance of Medical Assistive Technologies

This paper describes two studies focusing on acceptance of medical technologies from different points of view – in general and in particular. Acceptance of medical assistive technologies was analyzed considering influences of user diversity factors. The first study explored how people perceive the aging process itself and showed how this perception is associated with general aspects of acceptance of medical technology in terms of usability. The second study was conducted to analyze acceptance of a specific technology – a smart robot – revealing that the acceptance of a concrete medical device is more specific and that especially age and gender form its underlying structures.

Integrated Home Monitoring and Compliance Optimization for Patients with Mechanical Circulatory Support Devices

This article presents an integrated, automatic home-monitoring, and assist system for patients suffering from end-stage heart failure, particularly patients with implanted mechanical circulatory support devices, such as ventricular assist devices and total artificial hearts. The system incorporates various biosensors to monitor the vital parameters of the patient unobtrusively in the home environment. Recorded data can be accessed online and in real time by a supervising physician, and these data serve as a means for immediate diagnosis of emergency events. The retrieved information can also be continuously analyzed to generate suggestions for medication, nutrition, and exercise for the patient to optimize their rehabilitation and overall health. An experimental environment (the Future Care Lab) was set up at RWTH Aachen University to serve as a testing environment for the development and evaluation of this novel integrated system. The Future Care Lab was not only used as a platform for technically testing the monitoring system, but also more concretely demonstrating to users the integration of these new medical technologies in a home. Thus, the Future Care Lab provides a unique environment for an interdisciplinary research approach consisting of iterative cycles of system development and evaluation of user acceptance.

Perceptions of Personal Privacy in Smart Home Technologies: Do User Assessments Vary Depending on the Research Method?

Nowadays all Western societies are confronted with the challenges resulting from demographic change, which are partially manageable by technical innovations, ranging from sophisticated single devices up to Ambient Assisted Living. However, exceeding the threshold to peoples homes evokes diverse privacy concerns. In this paper, aspects of personal privacy are exposed and validated by three different research methods: focus groups, questionnaire, and an experimental study. The results of the perceived relevance of privacy across the three methodologies showed a decrease of the attributed importance from the focus group to the hands-on experimental study and an increase of the variability of the data. In order to gain genuine exhaustive information about the users perceptions of aspects of new technologies it is therefore insufficient to rely on one single research method. Instead, a multi-method research approach is postulated.

What Makes People Change Their Preferences in Public Transportation – Opinions in Different User Groups

Mobility is a critical requirement for cities, but broadly accepted mobility concepts are difficult to realize. Environmental hazards, high costs, complex planning processes, affordability, accessibility and safety are crucial factors. Also, the demographic change in line with increasing individual transportation needs and mobility profiles aggravate a sustainable and topical planning of urban mobility. As the understanding of human needs is vital for the acceptance of novel mobility concepts, we explored pro- and contra-using motives for public transportation as well as aspects of conditional acceptance. Using an empirical approach, 580 persons answered a questionnaire in this regard. The results allow insights into opinions of age and gender related mobility needs in the public transport sector.

Between Innovation and Daily Practice in the Development of AAL Systems: Learning from the Experience with Today’s Systems

In this paper we delineate and compare the functional and structural potential but also shortcomings of two Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) systems, which aim at providing remote care for elder adults living independently at home. One system, a personal emergency response system, is already in use, the other system, the Future Care Lab, presents a holistic tele-medical care setting, which is currently in its conceptualization and test phase at RWTH Aachen University. By learning from the experience with a well-established system in both, restrictions and benefits, implications for a user-centred development for future telemedical systems can be derived.

The Youth of Today Designing the Smart City of Tomorrow

Sustainable energy supply, mobility concepts, a healthy city climate – the next generations will face vital urban challenges. The views of the citizens of tomorrow, today’s youth, are therefore especially important when designing concepts for future urban areas that incorporate those demands. We therefore explored young pupils’ attitude to these three research areas in an empirical approach. 21 students (17-24 years) participated in a workshop. First, they answered a questionnaire on their attitudes towards technology and urban environment. Afterwards, they were divided into focus groups in which they discussed and developed solutions to the three key challenges for future cities. Besides innovative ideas of how younger persons wish to live in urban environments, results reveal a rather uninformed and naive view on the complex situation. Overall, we conclude that urban challenges should be integrated into the school education to provide a deeper understanding of the complex interaction of energy, mobility and user requirements.