Transcript Installed Smart Home - Aging & Technology Research

5. Case Study
Smart Home in a Life
Care Community
Apartment Complex
Mary
Study participant is a 77 year old female
with a hearing impairment, arthritis,
osteoporosis, a total knee replacement, and
peripheral neuropathy. She currently lives
in an apartment in a life care community in
Western New York.
Security Features of the Facility
The life care community apartment complex
provides some safety and security measures.
There is “around the clock” security and
also a personal assist device that the
residents wear within the building to notify
security of a problem. The only problem is
that it is a necklace and can’t be worn in the
bath where most falls may occur.
Refrigerator Sensor
The facility also provides a
sensor in the refrigerator as
a safety feature that if the
door is not opened in 24
hours and a person has not
notified the front desk that
he/she is away, security
will check on the person.
Door Announcer
Since Mary has
hearing loss, the
facility provided a
door announcer.
Jim made her apartment
smarter by providing:
1. a timed lighting and a coffee maker
that could be run by the computer.
2. window security.
3. a chime that rang loud and a
flashing light in her living loom for
the front door security.
Alarm System Chime and Power Flash
If door is opened,
chime will ring and
light will go on next
to plants. Due to the
participant’s hearing
loss, the light is
important for her to
recognize that the
alarm has been
activated.
Appliance Timer
Coffee pot is set
to activate and
begin making
coffee every
morning at the
preset time.
Hand-held Remote
Remote will turn
lights on and off
and will turn
lights off if
activated by
security system.
Problem 1
The motion sensor that was connected to a
chime was working all the time causing
constant alarm.
Solution: Tape one side of the motion sensor
to narrow the field of vision.
Problem 2: lighting
1. Health care aide turned off all wall switches.
S: Manually turned on all lights and turned off
using the computer.
2. Power outage messed up all timing.
S: reset timing on a computer for all products.
3. Security light in bedroom was activated with no
apparent reason at 2 AM startling Mary making
her think someone was breaking in.
S: Changed the house code to separate signals. It
was getting signal from other X-10 products.
Continued
4. Timing of lighting did not work because many
other software were used in an old computer.
S: OS was upgraded to Window 98 to 2000.
5. Daylight Saving threw off the timing.
S: Reset lighting and interface clocks in Active
Home on computer.
6. Timing of lighting did not work due to old
apartments with old wire.
S: Switched to a standard timer control.
Living Room Light
Standard light
timer was placed
back on living
room light
Smart Home
“ I was happy to be reassured that the security
of the chime would work. When I did not
open the refrigerator for a day, security
came to check on me and opened the door
while I was napping. Even with my hearing
impairment, I heard the chime and was
alerted that someone was in the apartment.
This made me feel more secure about the
reliability of the Smart Home features.”
Conclusion
• Currently smart house technology is becoming
friendlier by adding wireless and voice activation
features. A computer does not have to be on all
the time anymore. Once frail elders start using the
system comfortably, they can be very satisfied and
enjoy the utility.
• If our smart house project was considered
successful, it is mainly due to persons’ effort and
determination to make it work.
• No matter how technology advances, it will not
replace human interaction. Human interaction is
necessary to make the technology work and is a
basic human need.