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In an effort to appeal to older generations who stand to benefit from their use, researchers are urging designers of wearable devices to consider altering the technology design to better accommodate that population.
With what seems like daily advances in this industry, wearable devices provide a number of possible functions, from tracking cardiac health to serving as an emergency alert system.
However, according to a recent article published in Ergonomics in Design, researchers are urging wearable device designers to also consider Baby Boomers when fashioning the popular devices.
According to Joanna Lewis, a doctoral student of applied experimental and human factors psychology at the University of Central Florida, "The proportion of the population over the age of 65 is growing and will continue to do so. Technological developments are exponentially growing and inundating our lives, and we don't want a demographic that is scaling up in size not to have access to devices that are becoming prolific in everyday society."
Wearable devices often lose their appeal to older populations because of feelings of frustration and mistrust with the technology, according to the researchers. To remedy the frustration and mistrust, the research team suggests simplifying the steps to set up the technology, increasing button, icon and text size and avoiding bulky designs that might result in age-related stereotypes.
"A device's usability should consider all ages," Lewis adds. "Potential issues with wearable devices for older adults can be avoided by acknowledging limitations, and development teams can create effective and safe platforms that appeal to a variety of end users."
