Computers and Sensors Find Home in UF Seniors Project
From: Orlando Sentinel - 03/21/2004
By: Lew Sichelman

University of Florida researchers are developing and testing assisted-living
technologies designed to aid senior citizens without sacrificing their
freedom. A lab in UF's computer science engineering building is decked out as
a mockup of a living space outfitted with assorted assistive devices, such as
smart appliances and sensors that monitor a subject's movements, all of which
are linked to a central computer network. "What this home demonstrates is the
evolution from [assistance] devices to [assistance] environments," explains
Sumi Helal, director of technology development for the UF Rehabilitation
Engineering Research Center on Technology and Successful Aging. Examples of
future assisted-living innovations that could be incorporated into the home
include microwave ovens that automatically cook food according to
specifications embedded in radio frequency identification (RFID) tags affixed
to packages, and that can tell residents when the meal is ready via a video
display; monitors programmed to alert caregivers if the resident runs into
trouble; mobile phones that can control lights, curtains, the TV, and the
stereo by vocal command; and sensors that notify residents of leaks,
strangers at the door, and mail deliveries. Helal is confident that such an
environment will reach mainstream acceptance in less than 10 years, once the
diverse technologies have been integrated. He notes, however, that policy
makers will have to determine whether these technologies are acceptable or
constitute a breach of privacy, while retailers will have to sell products
with built-in RFID tags. William Mann of UF's College of Health Professions
cites studies indicating that seniors who use such devices are less costly to
the health system, and usually exhibit a slower onset of decrepitude. He adds
that the elderly and new technology are more compatible than many people
think. 

http://www.rerc.ufl.edu/pror4.html

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