Enhancing Unobtrusive Home Technology Systems with a Virtual Assistant for Mood and Social Monitoring

As the global population ages, there is a growing need for support in daily activities among older individuals. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have the potential to ease caregiver responsibilities and worries and enhance the independence of older individuals. The objective of this study is to enrich traditional indoor monitoring systems, which mainly focus on safety and functional aspects, with features that consider both the needs of the caregivers and those of the monitored person. A triangulation of methods approach is employed, utilizing personas, surveys, and interviews to identify both parties’ specific needs and preferences and guide the selection of suitable technologies. Results recognize the importance of addressing the mood and social needs of the monitored persons and consider the barriers that hinder the installation of such systems due to privacy and independence concerns. A general framework is presented, which extends traditional monitoring systems to incorporate these additional needs.