| The Quality of Life Technology
(QoLT) Center, headquartered at Carnegie Mellon University, hosted a public
symposium on April 12, 2007, at Carnegie Mellon as part of the National
Academy of Engineering’s (NAE) regional meeting. The symposium theme was
“Quality of Life Technology,” an emerging research area that unites robotics,
computer science, rehabilitation engineering, bioengineering, and a number
of clinical specialties as well as social sciences and public policy to
address the needs of older adults and people with disabilities. For 75
people, the symposium underscored how engineering has a direct impact on
peoples’ lives, addresses important social issues, and does so responsibly
and compassionately. QoLT Center experts, students, and partners in the
fields of clinical psychology, geriatric medicine, and rehabilitation technology
provided glimpses of quality-of-life problems and technology solutions
being developed to address them. Notably, many of the attendees were representatives
from local nursing homes, non-profit support and advocacy groups, and end-users
of QoLT.
Through talks, demonstrations,
and student research expositions the Center profiled the needs, opportunities,
and ongoing research that enables and enhances independent living for aging
and disabled people. These included:
1) A presentation about cognitive
disability, which affects people of all ages, and current research in technology
to enable people with traumatic brain injury to attain and maintain job
skills.
2) The challenges that people
with disabilities face in everyday life and work, and the magnitude and
implications of these issues for society as a whole.
3) The myriad of health issues
faced by older adults and how contemporary technology can lead to better
management of chronic diseases, emphasizing practical yet innovative approaches
that are realizable in the near term, and how they could make a profound,
positive difference.
4) The development of affordable,
accessible, energy-efficient houses that have intelligence built-in through
clever integration of sensors, home automation, and health monitoring technologies.
This project involves university students in the development of these smart
homes, along with a cohort of “Senior Research Associates” (local senior
citizens) who assist in design and evaluation.
4) The need for interdisciplinary
teams and direct involvement of end-users for success in QoLT research
and development. |
