Emerging technologies with potential care and support applications for older people: a review of grey literature
ABSTRACT
Background:
Emerging technologies have the potential to contribute towards meeting the care and support needs of older people and could incorporate older people’s needs at early phases of development. This could address the issue of mismatch between needs and available technologies, a key barrier of technology adoption by older people. However, limited work is done to map emerging technological developments with potential to meet the needs of an ageing population, particularly the care and support needs.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to identify and map emerging technologies with potential care and support applications for older people, particularly for those living at home.
Methods:
A systematic grey literature search was carried out using the databases of 13 key organisations, hand searching reference lists of included documents, using funding data and consulting technology experts. A narrative synthesis approach was used to analyse and summarise the findings of the literature review.
Results:
Sixty-five documents were included in the final analysis. Several emerging technologies were identified and were categorised into enabling technologies and technological application areas. Enabling technologies included: artificial intelligence; advanced robotics; sensors; intelligent interfaces; and advanced connectivity and computing. Technological application areas included: self-driving vehicles; assistive robots; AI-based health smart apps and wearables; new drug delivery systems; portable diagnostics; and intelligent homes. This review also revealed how recent technological developments are deeply connected, where advances in one field influence the developments of other fields, and new innovations are often outcomes of complex interactions between these fields.
Conclusions:
This review has identified key emerging technologies with potential to contribute to the support and care needs of older people. Findings of this study can be used to encourage efforts to incorporate older people’s needs into the early stages of their development. Future research around emerging technological developments should also take into account the complex interactions and interdependencies between these fields.
Citation
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Copyright
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