Social change in the twenty-first century is shaped by both demographic changes associated with ageing societies and significant technological change and development. Outlining the basic principles of a new academic field, Socio-gerontechnology, this book explores common conceptual, theoretical and methodological ideas that become visible in the critical scholarship on ageing and technology at the intersection of Age Studies and Science and Technology Studies (STS). Comprised of 15 original chapters, three commentaries and an afterword, the book explores how ageing and technology are already interconnected and constantly being intertwined in Western societies. Topics addressed cover a broad variety of socio-material domains, including care robots, the use of social media, ageing-in-place technologies, the performativity of user involvement and public consultations, dementia care and many others. Together, they provide a unique understanding of ageing and technology from a social sciences and humanities perspective and contribute to the development of new ontologies, methodologies and theories that might serve as both critique of and inspiration for policy and design. International in scope, including contributions from the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Australia, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden, Socio-gerontechnology is an agenda-setting text that will provide an introduction for students and early career researchers as well as for more established scholars who are interested in ageing and technology.

This publication is concerned with gerontechnology - the study of technology and ageing with the aim of improving the functioning of older people in daily life. The first part of the book is a compilation of the key-note addresses describing the background for and the conditions under which the emerging field of gerontechnology can be developed further. The chapters deal with political, socio-economic, ethical, demographic issues related to gerontechnology. Furthermore, methodological approaches in human factors, ergonomics and industrial design are described. Trends in technological developments and innovations conclude the first volume. The second part presents some 80 case studies, divided over 9 sections (1) perception and cognition, (2) communication technology, (3) mobility and transport, (4) health and home care technology, (5) housing, (6) training and education, (7) safety and security, (8) product design and (9) culture and attitudes.

Two "megatrends" of modern culture are rapid population aging and the inexorable advances in various technologies encountered by the population at large. This comprehensive volume explores the intersections of technology with aging and serves as both a primer and reference for educators, students, researchers, and practitioners. It includes concepts from the basics of gerotechnologyóperson-environment fitóto the core activity fieldsócomputer and assistive devices and their practical applicationsóto models, or prototypes for technical development and its application to everyday life. Thought-provoking concluding chapters address ethical concerns for the future as well as offer new perspectives or context to ideas and innovations explored earlier.

The ebook edition of this title is Open Access, thanks to Knowledge Unlatched funding, and freely available to read online. This book explains the diversity of older adults' approaches towards technology and provides recommendations for practitioners and designers seeking to connect with an aging market.

Proceedings van: Gerontechnology : international conference on technology and aging, 1st, Eindhoven, August 26-29, 1991.

Awarded third place in the 2017 AJN Book of the Year Awards in Information Technology Two mega-trends of modern culture, the rapid aging of the population and the inexorable advances in technology, have fueled the development of gerontechnology--the use of technology to sustain individual autonomy to an advanced age. This expansive book encompasses state-of-the-art research in gerontechnology and promising new technologies, products, and services that can improve activities of daily living, general health, and wellbeing of older individuals. It addresses current and future applications in such crucial areasas mobility and transportation, assistive devices, smart homes for senior citizens, in-home technologies, safety and privacy, and research and development highlighting--among others--design. Topics include, but are not limited to, virtual environments as a research tool, sensation, perception, and cognition research advancements, novel accessibility challenges to information and communication technology, as well as the evolving characteristics of the elderly. These are among the welcome developments addressed in the book. Contributors from around the globe, including the UK, Germany, Japan, Canada, The Netherlands, Korea, the United States, and more, bring unprecedented cross-cultural insight to the intersections of aging phenomena and technology. Key Features: Disseminates empirically proven findings and evidence-based theories, models, and concepts Written by world-recognized leaders in the field of technology and aging Reflects the global usage of gerontechnological applications Includes new technologies, research, and applications for virtual environments, smart homes, assistive technology care, and robotics Discusses computer-assisted social engagement, technology-facilitated caregiving, business case examples, and more

This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed post-conference proceedings of the First International Workshop on Gerotechnology, IWoG 2018, held in Cáceres, Spain on December 14, 2018, and in Évora, Portugal, on December 17, 2018. The 24 revised full papers along with 8 short papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 71 submissions.The papers are organized in topical sections on knowledge management for health: context, cognition, behavior and user modeling; technologies to increase the quality of life of the elderly population; Internet of Things (IoT); smarts technologies and algorithms for health; monitoring and management of chronic and non-chronic diseases;solutions for active aging, social integration and self-care; health interventions to support caregivers of elderly people; public health initiatives.