Participant sitting at a table with a laptop with a remote researcher on a video call and a mini printer

Supporting Remote Collaboration for People with Cognitive Concerns

We are examining both technological and theoretical approaches to advance design methods for working with older adults with cognitive concerns. This includes understanding and supporting remote, embodied interaction.

Pubs: CHI 20, 21, 25, 26; TACCESS 21
Funding: National Science Foundation award #IIS-2045679.
Gardener holding shears and pointing at his garden

Community Engaged Research

We work with groups, such as local retirement communities or skilled hobbyist groups, towards mutually beneficial knowledge and resource exchange between university members and older people in the community. For example, one project, led by Teja Maddali, investigated how to design technology for sharing embodied skills between generations. We studyied this topic in the context of gardening, an activity practised by an estimated 42 million US households for a variety of economic, social, and health motivations across age groups. Another long-term partnership with a retirement community has provided opportunities for research, class activities, and service (volunteering to provide technology support).

Pubs: CHI 20, 21, 23, 25, 26; CSCW 22,
Resources Makerspace How-To Guides
Funding: AIM Seed Funding from UMD and U.S. Admin. for Community Living, NIDILRR, Dept. of Health & Human Services.
Students points at poster depicting an idea that was co-designed with people with dementia. The idea involves a tablet on a stand that follows the user (the poster is detailed but little is visible).

Technology and Dementia

The goal of this project is to understand and create design criteria for technologies for people with dementia that are enjoyable, relevant, and accessible. We are conducting interviews, observations, focus groups, usability tests, and co-design, with a particular focus on meaningful activities and self-management.

Pubs: CHI 19, 20, 21; CSCW 19, 21; Assets 20
Funding: Grant 90REGE0008, U.S. Admin. for Community Living, NIDILRR, Dept. of Health & Human Services.
Cartoon drawing of a voice assistant

Aging with Voice Technologies

Older adults are increasingly adopting commercially available smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Home. By understanding older individuals’ current usage, perceptions, and preferences around such technologies, this work explores how these technologies can be customized to better support aging in place.

Pubs: CSCW 19, TOCHI 20
Funding: National Science Foundation award #IIS-1816145.