Getting grandpa wired

The FT is still a subscription publication so I am not sure how long this article will be accessible.

As the name suggests it is all about technology and the old. Not their use of the Internet but the supportive technologies that enable them to “age in place” (i.e. remain in their own homes).

The above video is from the Center for Ageing Services Technologies. It goes on too long and could be cut in half to still convey the same messages but it does show what is already possible.
As the article says.

The goal is to enable the elderly to live safely and independently at home for longer. For their adult children, the point is peace of mind.

I think the benefits of the technology for the kids are probably more than for the parent. It is all about minimizing the ‘guilt’ of not being able to physically do more to help the aged parent.

From a marketing point of view it is clear to me who the customer is for these technologies. Let me give you a clue – it is not the parent.

A couple of the companies mentioned in the article are Grandcare and AttentiveCare. Worth checking out the products and services they provide. Dick Stroud

Domo the robot at a shop near you

MIT researchers have built a humanoid robot. Equipped with the latest in motion-tracking and spring-loaded actuators to make it ideal for those difficult and boring household chores.

The driver for the robot’s construction is to provide a resource to help the ageing population.

Maybe there is still a bit more to do before they hand over to the marketers. Dick Stroud