Medical Technology In Smarthomes

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

3.1.1 Introduction:

Smart homes or home automation is the technology that make the homes safe, comfortable for the elderly and disabled people. Home automation is also called assistive demotic. This technology also enables the better communication, strong security and domestic task automation with the introduction of advanced technology system. For elderly people home automation is a feasible and appropriate option that wanted a peaceful life and wanted to stay at home rather going to health care centres. As these homes provide health facilities and wellbeing development, these homes are actually designed and manufactured to facilitate people with special needs, especially older This paper discuss the idea of smart home in a society which is technologically advanced and it is contributing towards the well-being and technological supported life style for the elder people. As it has been recommended that Smart home technology is a feasible solution as it offers new concept of positive aging and authorizing older people to maintain better quality life, wellbeing, independence and functionality ones ( Lê, Nguyen & Barnett, 2012, p. 607).

3.2.2 Conceptual framework:

Smart home are the homes which are equipped with the advanced technology system so that they are electronically controlled with higher security and provides conveniences. This technology is defined as the addition of home based technology and services that actually provides elder people with the far better quality of life style. Actually smart homes are designed as the updated automatic systems for various purposes and tasks such as temperature and lighting control, windows, doors and multi-media etc. In order to bring into the notice of advantages and benefits of smart home technology to everyone results in the implementation and introduction of this technology. It is possible for the smart home users to improve and increase the capacity to work together with their indoor environment, tasks performance and engage in activities that would have been previously difficult or impossible. The concept of smart home is related to various interpretations because being smart can indicate various features of a highly advanced modern system of smart home, for example compact, automatic, innovative, convenient, self-adjusting, responsive, or functional. Conceptual framework of smart home 5 features is as under ( Lê, Nguyen & Barnett, 2012, p. 608).

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Figure 1: Smart Homes for Older People: Positive Aging in a Digital World: Future Internet, ((Lê, Nguyen & Barnett, 2012, p. 608)

3.1.3 Medical Technology in SmartHomes:

Order people and disables ones are at risk of institutionalization because of the factors that are increasing existence of acute diseases and prolonged expectancy of life. But it will be a huge financial pressure to the health care system as it is not the choice of many gaining citizens because it’s hard to maintain in the near future or coming years. It is desire of elderly people to have an extended long term health care because they are willing to have independence and freedom for a long period of citizen respects their home as time. It is also researched that elderly people regard their home as a sanctuary so they always want to stick to their homes even if there are really sick and have bad health. This wish is often related to a perceived increase in the quality of life in a familiar environment. But as people gets order, their supposed quality of life is mostly determined by their ability to maintain an independent, freedom and autonomous life. The health care tools were being made and designed in the last ten years which actually focussed on medical treatment and care givers. This behaviour and scheme has been changed with the introduction of assistive technology which actually supports and provides adaptive services to elder citizen and disabled ones. It is researched and observed by many authors that health care system will be practiced and will be based on the homecare idea in the coming future and this will shift the healthcare technology from hospitals to patient home. Video based homecare solutions are now getting more interesting and logical option the group of patients worldwide because of the increased presence and availability of broadband connections and by reducing the camera cost and decreasing their large scale displays (Ziefle, Röcker, Holzinger, 2011).

3.1.4 Smart home technology for elderly people:

The countries which have stable economy and population is very small are actually in a better position to use and take advantage of advanced technology. Australia is one such country where smart home concept has been introduced and encouraged because of many solid reasons. Australia is really advanced as far as technology is concerned in all field of life. The modern computer technology permeates every feature of social and individual life. Austrialia is also gaining very vastly and there are many challenges which it has to face in the accommodation and comfort of older and aged citizen. As per the Aged and Community Services, Australia, by year 2021, there will be one old person in four out of ten households will be occupied by at least one older person. They will be living either alone or with one another. So to counter these harsh facts smart homes are encouraged and promoted as a demanding space for positive aging. Smart homes are being designed and introduced to facilitate and accommodate aged citizen and people with illnesses or disabilities. Smart home as a growing interdisciplinary technology are formed to support aging. Different Innovative ideas have been introduced in order to take out maximum output from information technology for the development of independence and quality of life for order people. Patients who actually required the emergency assistance are facilitates by smart homes technology for providing aging in place services to the patients. Also it provides medication administration, fall detection, reminder systems, and assistance for those with visual, cognitive impairment issues. Actual design for smart homes are specified and varies as per the users requirement, need, characteristic and also it embrace the adaptability concept as these change over time. There are wide range of advanced technology devices have been designed for better control, monitoring and assistance for physical and mental purposes of old people (Lê, Nguyen & Barnett, 2012, p. 609).

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The features of smart homes for senior citizens have been described by Aged and Community Services, Australia are as under:

Support to wheelchair navigation & navigation for sensory impaired

Activity detection e.g. permanent human location and recognition, etc.

Increased use of robotics to assist around the house.

Early warning indicator should be used by installing bed and chair occupancy sensors so if the resident does not return in determined time, alarm will indicate it.

Automatic activated lighting should be used, so when a resident gets out of bed lights switched off.

Personal alarms via pendants and pull cords to a response centre

Medical monitoring, such as pulse, blood pressure and soiling that can be assessed on site and information forwarded appropriately

Video door entry systems that allow the resident to see who is visiting and to then open the door remotely.

3.1.5 Issues and Challenges:

Smart homes has some issues, challenges and risks which are linked with the following factors cost, privacy, acceptability and accessibility. Some of the serious concerns related to accessibility and ethics are listed below: (Lê, Nguyen & Barnett, 2012, p. 611).

Financial Accessibility

Technical accessibility

Psychological accessibility and

Ethics

3.1.6 Home automation equipment is ideal for the erderly

In order to make it sure that to make the daily life of elderly people comfortable and simple elderly people wants to live and remain independent for a longer or maximum period of time. That is possible by installing or having home automation equipment at home which will definitely make the life comfortable simple and easier which will eventually reduce or finish the tensions and worries of other family members have for their elderly people. The benefits and advantages of home automation appliances are as under:

3.1.6.1 Reducing the expenses of bills

There have been drastically increase in the electricity prices and it has been recorded that electricity prices have been doubled since 2004. This increase in rates results into hundreds of pounds a month. This figure actually will give you a different result when heating allowance are being calculated which is a biggest risk and issue for elderly people who actually don’t have enough money to pay such huge amounts every month.

Initially the buying cost of the automation equipment is more and it is expensive. But eventually with time it will be possible to make up for the price. Everything which has been automated by you can be controlled very easily which will eventually do micro managing of electricity simple. Every unit can be turned off by this unit that has been modelled to be used as the main central remote. It will stop the consumption of electricity without putting efforts of going around and turning off everything which will be helpful and convenient for elderly people (dave,. 2012).

3.6.1.2 Making things much easier

Multiple products items can be controlled by the central units which eventually depend on how much of the home is automated. Once the product is purchased it is necessary to notice that all the control devices could be controlled without any issues by the people in the house. Once they are familiar with the ins and outs controlling will be much easier. This technology will be beneficial for elder people which is very clear as they don’t have to leave their places every. It will be possible to remotely increase the temperature with the help of thermostat control and central unit. Every household product such as alarms, lights, locks, blinds, dimmers can be efficiently controlled remotely as z wave items allow the control of almost every item (dave,. 2012).

Refereneces:

Lê, Q., Nguyen., H.B., Barnett, T. (2012). Smart Homes for Older People: Positive Aging in a Digital World. Future Internet, 4, 607-617.

Ziefle, M., Röcker, C., & Holzinger, A. (2011). Medical Technology in Smart Homes. 35th IEEE Annual Computer Software and Applications Conference Workshops, 410-415.

Dave. (2012). Home automation equipment is ideal for erderly people. Retrieved from http://www.vesternet.com website: http://www.vesternet.com/blog/2012/09/home-automation-equipment-is-ideal-for-the-elderly/