TITLE:
Neighbourhood Calling
ICT-based Solutions to Foster Older Persons’ Mobility in Urban Neighbourhoods
AUTHORS:
Maja Lorbek, Georg Edelmayer; Edeltraud Haselsteiner, Margarete Havel, Wolfgang L. Zagler KEYWORDS: ICT technologies for the elderly, Urban Neighbourhood Management, Ambient Assisted Living
ABSTRACT
This paper will present results from two research projects on ICT technologies for the elderly within an urban neighbourhood. Contrary to common ambient assisted living technologies, which are developed primarily as home-based solutions, in our approach ICT is deliberately placed outside the dwelling in order to upgrade urban neighbourhoods. Smart ICT services for the elderly provoke social interaction while preserving the physical mobility of the elderly.
ICT solutions developed in the first project are deliberately placed in both traditional localities and as well as newly established venues, and are based on social interaction with peers. Final outcome of research are four scenarios, which are in fact concepts for ICT prototypes. The four scenarios in short are: mobile pavilion, service point, information platform and learning machine.
The second project, currently ongoing, is dealing with the question on of public transport and pedestrian mobility of the elderly within urban neighbourhoods. How can ICT in combination with public transport be used to further activate mobility of the elderly and overcome physical and
psychological barriers at the intersection of neighbourhoods, public transport and elderly pedestrians? ICT area-based mobility solutions will be developed with the goal to enhance confidence, autonomy, competence, security and safety of the elderly.
Both research project are based upon an interdisciplinary and integral approach. The four involved disciplines are: Information and communication technology, housing research, urban renewal and social sciences. Existing ICT resources for elderly people as well actual neighbourhoods and mobility routes were and are being examined. Workshops are taking place with the goal to involve end-users and stakeholders in the development of the new technologies, services and also to determine the spatial location of ICT within the neighbourhood / city district. Case study research was/is being carried out in Viennese districts Brigittenau and Leopoldstadt.
AFFILIATIONS:
Dipl.-Ing. Maja Lorbek, Institute of Architecture and Design, Vienna University of Technology, Karlsplatz 13/E253-2, 1040 Wien, lorbek@wohnbau.tuwien.ac.at
Dipl.-Ing. Georg Edelmayer, Institute of Design and Assessment of Technology, Centre for Applied Assistive Technologies, University of Technology, 1040 Vienna, Favoritenstrasse 9-11/187-2b edelmayer@fortec.tuwien.ac.at
Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Edeltraud Haselsteiner, Institute of Social Ecology Vienna, Alpen-Adria Universitaet Klagenfurt – Graz – Wien, Schottenfeldgasse 29, 1070 Vienna, Austria, edeltraud.haselsteiner@aau.at
Mag. Margarete Havel, HAVEL & HAVEL Beratungs GesmbH, 3031 Rekawinkel, Hauptstraße 18, office@havel.at Prof. Dr. Wolfgang L. Zagler, Institute of Design and Assessment of Technology, Centre for Applied Assistive Technologies, University of Technology, 1040 Vienna, Favoritenstrasse 9-11/187-2b, zagler@fortec.tuwien.ac.at
