Phd Thesis-Masimohammadi

EMPOWERING SENIORS THROUGH DOMOTIC HOMES Integrating intelligent technology in senior citizens’ homes by merging the perspectives of demand and supply EMPOWERING SENIORS THROUGH DOMOTIC HOMES Integrating intelligent technology in senior citizens’ homes by merging the perspectives of demand and supply PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, op gezag van de rector magniﬁ cus, prof.dr.ir. C.J. van Duijn, voor een commissie aangewezen door het College voor Promoties in het openbaar te verdedigen op woensdag 31 maart 2010 om 16.00 uur door Masoumeh Mohammadi geboren te Masjed Soleyman, Iran Dit proefschrift is goedgekeurd door de promotoren: prof.dr.ir. J.J.N. Lichtenberg en prof.ir. J.M. Post Copromotor: dr.ir. P.A. Erkelens * en opgedragen aan Bert ———————— * to the rock and to the sea, to my father, the proud steady rock to my mother, the affectionate deep sea Samenstelling van de promotiecommissie Prof.ir. J. Westra Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, voorzitter Prof.dr.ir. J.J.N. Lichtenberg Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, promotor Prof.ir. J.M. Post Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, 2de promotor Dr.ir. P.A. Erkelens Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, co-poromtor Prof.dr.ir. W.A. Poelman Universiteit Twente Prof.dr. D. Verté Vrije Universiteit Brussel Prof.dr.ir. P.G.M. Baltus Technische Universiteit Eindhoven Empowering Seniors through Domotics Homes Integrating intelligent technology in senior citizens’ homes by merging the perspectives of demand and supply M. Mohammadi Printed by The Eindhoven University Press ISBN 978-90-6814-627-1 Copyright 2010 First edition – M. Mohammadi Copyright 2011 Second edition – M. Mohammadi All rights reserved. No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form of by any means, electronic of mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author. SSummary Due to the rapid aging of the Dutch population and aging-in-place policies, an increas- ing demand for suitable dwellings is to be expected. A significant contribution can be provided by domotics defined as: the advanced technological equipment and services in the domestic environment to sustain and to enhance the quality of aging in place as well as empowerment of the senior citizen (in daily life). In spite of varied researches, a study into the influence of embedding of technology in the architectural structure of the dwelling lacks. Furthermore, the insight in the needs and attitudes toward living in an intelligent house are missing. The objective of this study is to optimise the quality of housing of independently living seniors by integration of domotics into the senior’s domestic environment. This research, based on literature review and qualitative and quantitative studies, (i) provides an overview of the multiplicity of needs and attitudes of the older citizens regarding smart technology in the domestic environment; (ii) assesses indicators of integrated and intelligent home as perceived by the professional key stakeholders and (iii) develops strategies and recommendations to incorporate the intelligent technology in the architectural structure of the existing dwellings. (i) The applied research method consists of a parallel data collection and analysis for the identification of the perspectives of the senior citizens and the professionals. Study to inhabitants’ needs and attitudes toward domotics includes a qualitative and a quantitative part. The qualitative study is explorative and diagnostic and provides a picture of the older individual’s motives. This part has utilized a focus group which included nine older individuals. The focus group procedure was based on triangulation of cohort-group discussions, enabling techniques and in-depth interviews. This was followed by a (postal) questionnaire survey which brought out the senior’s criteria of domotics. (ii) On the other side of the spectrum, the assumption of the professional stakeholders regarding domotics are qualifying for the implementation of smart technologies in the domestic setting. Through in-depth interviews the key stakeholders’ assumptions are examined. The results were elaborated into a web survey amongst professionals in seven European countries to confirm the criteria. (iii) Hence, the stakeholders’ insights are translated into attributes of domotic homes. Based on the identified attributes, two houses, occupied by the elderly, have been upgraded. This case study focuses on the infrastructural problem of implementation of domotics in the existing homes. It lays the foundation for the integration of domotics into the senior’s domestic environment and confirms that an interdisciplinary (design) approach is indispensable for merging of the demand and supply of the intelligent living environment. i The findings of this investigation indicate that needs, perceptions, environmental and personal attributes of the senior determine the attitudes towards automation. This attitude can best be described as “critical/positive”. Too much automation is undesirable. Ethical considerations are particularly related to professional stakeholders, especially caregivers, whereas seniors are mainly interested in the functionality of domotics. In the elderly housing, the stage of stand-alone devices is outdated. It should be focused on the networked home and the integration of domotics in the house. Innovation by ad- dition in a traditional construction environment often results in sub-optimal solutions. The results confirm that the integration of intelligent technology in a house needs to be a synthesis of the user’s needs, technology, the living environment and healthcare. ii iii Table of Contents Summary ............................................................................................................i Table of Contents .............................................................................................iv PART I ...........................................................................................3 Chapter 1 ...........................................................................................................5 Introduction ........................................................................................................6 Frontiers of knowledge on Domotics ...............................................................15 Methodological Approach ................................................................................26 Structure of the Thesis ......................................................................................30 Chapter 2 .........................................................................................................33 Introduction ......................................................................................................34 Domotics...........................................................................................................41 Domus and Domotics .......................................................................................49 Breakthrough, Promises, and Challenges .........................................................55 PART II .......................................................................................61 Chapter 3 .........................................................................................................63 Introduction ......................................................................................................64 Theoretical Background ...................................................................................69 Investigated Theories ........................................................................................72 Attitude Research Model ..................................................................................74 Section 3.1 ..................................................................................................81 Introduction ......................................................................................................82 Method ..............................................................................................................83 Analysis ............................................................................................................89 Conclusions ....................................................................................................105 Section 3.2 ................................................................................................107 Introduction ....................................................................................................108 Method ............................................................................................................110 Analysis ..........................................................................................................115 Conclusions ....................................................................................................130 iv Chapter 4 .......................................................................................................135 Introduction ....................................................................................................136 Stakeholders Classiﬁ cation .............................................................................139 Section 4.1 ................................................................................................141 Introduction

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