| Summary: | Purpose The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center Technologies to Support Aging-in-Place for People with Long-term Disabilities (RERC TechSAge) is a multi-disciplinary, multi-site Center founded in 2013 that is supported by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research, which is housed in the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. TechSAge features multidisciplinary research, development, and training projects that are dedicated to understanding the needs of, and developing supportive technologies for, people aging with long-term vision, hearing, and mobility disabilities. Method TechSAge aims to support and empower people with chronic conditions and long-term impairments to age-in-place through increasing knowledge about, availability of, and access to effective design and technologies that enable individuals to sustain independence; maintain health; engage safely in basic activities at home and in the community, and fully participate in society. To achieve these aims TechSAge has an administrative core as well as research, development and training programs at Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, and Georgia State University that are guided by an Advisory Board with academic, scientific and industry advisors. The conceptual framework is based on the TechSAge Aging and Disability Model which integrates the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health and ecological models of person-environment fit, to recognize that the additive effects of age-related functional declines on pre-existing impairments disrupts the dynamic relationship between the environment, including technology, and activity performance and participation. As such, TechSAge R&D is guided the approach that disability can be minimized or avoided through the understanding and implementation of human-centered, universal design strategies that meet the unique needs of people aging with long-term sensory and mobility disabilities. Results and Discussion TechSAge user needs research has advanced knowledge about the challenges in the performance of everyday activities and needs for, and use of, assistive and smart technologies. Research has also focused on increasing the accessibility and availability of technology-based interventions (e.g., voice-activated software applications and an evidence-based, home exercise program) to support independence, health, and aging-in-place for people aging with sensory and mobility impairment. Development projects are engaged in enhancing the safety and support in performing daily activities in the home and community through the deployment of innovative mobile software and virtual reality applications, user-friendly starter kits for voice-activated assistants and the development of a smart bathroom laboratory. Finally, training is designed to expand the supply of skilled individuals qualified to conduct advanced rehabilitation engineering research and/or develop useful and accessible aging-in-place technologies. A variety of resources highlighting the RERC's work are available in publication, Youtube and at TechSAge.gatech.org, including publications, technology products, podcasts, webinars, videos and tools for researchers, practitioners, and consumers.
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