M.P. Zajicek and Z.K. Kyaw (UK)
Mobile multimedia, interface design, older adults, speech dialogues, voice Web, SALT
The Internet provides an excellent platform for people to communicate and ubiquitous computing an ideal opportunity for Internet communication without being bound to a desk or to learn how to use a computer. This paper describes the architecture of BrookesJog, an application which enables Care Providers to keep in contact with people in their care. BrookesJog also allows them to place reminders for Care Recipients on a contact point database from which they are invoked at a prerecorded time in the form of a speech dialogue with a PDA. Older adults who, due to memory impairment, are those in most need of such support find computer systems challenging to use as they rely heavily on the use of memory to strategise about how the system works. The dialogue design for the older adult user group therefore becomes particularly important. Current legislation also demands that interfaces should be accessible to everybody and is the driving force behind the W3C, Web Access Initiative. This paper also describes steps taken by the designers to make the speech dialogues with the PDA accessible for older people, and discusses design issues for this user group.
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