Integration of smart home technologies in a health monitoring system for the elderly

Among older adults, the challenges of maintaining mobility and cognitive function make it increasingly difficult to remain living alone independently. As a result, many older adults are forced to seek residence in costly clinical institutions where they can receive constant medical supervision. A home-based automated system that monitors their health and wellbeing while remaining unobtrusive would provide them with a more comfortable and independent lifestyle, as well as more affordable care. This paper presents a smart home system for the elderly, developed by the Technology Assisted Friendly Environment for the Third Age (TAFETA) group. It introduces the sensor technologies integrated in the system and develops a framework for the processing and communication of the extracted information. It also considers the acceptability and implications of this technology from the perspective of the potential occupants.