| Sumario: | Purpose The use of smart speakers is on the rise (Bentley et al., 2018). Over 50% of Germans use at least one smart device (Beyto, 2022). In majority, especially simple language applications with low interaction levels are commonly used (Beyto, 2022). In the health, care and Ambient Assisted Living area, smart speakers gain relevance (Ayimdji Tekemetieu et al., 2022; Kucharski & Merkel 2020; Waldhör, 2021). Relating care consultation, smart speakers have the potential to take over anamnesis and the booking of care services and products. Within the framework of the joint project Smart Care Service, funded by the EU and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, a digital platform using voice assistants and chatbots for anamnesis and care service recommendation is developed (Smart Care Service, 2022). Against this background, this study aims to examine, how chatbots and smart speakers can be implemented in care consultation and to evaluate them. Method To include relevant perspectives of potential stakeholders, a human-centered design approach was conducted iteratively (ISO 9241-210). Qualitative expert interviews have already been taken place to analyze the benefits a care platform promises. Furthermore, a survey of potential users was conducted to develop a first mock-up of the platform. First, the chatbot and the smart speaker were evaluated by the project team. After a revision phase, the chatbot and the smart speaker will be evaluated in workshops with informal caregivers and relatives. For this purpose, workshops using the focus group will be carried out to examine different perspectives (Richard et al., 2021). Additionally, participatory observations take place to record in-depth emotions, feelings, and interactions concerning the chatbot and the smart speaker (Brüsemeister, 2008). The workshops will be held starting May 2022. Results and Discussion During the expert interviews, service providers increasingly expressed the desire to be relieved of administrative workloads by a care platform. The respondents saw great potential for digital solutions in this area. In the consultation process, persons with assistance needs and their relatives must repeatedly provide similar information about their personal and medical history. This is time-intensive and distracting from the actual consultation. Facilitation of the anamnesis procedure was stated as desirable as well as the need of a digital assistant that serves as a guide providing necessary information to book care services. The users fill out an anamnesis form and is guided through the process via chat or voice function to answer questions and to identify offers or provide information. For the chatbot and the voice assistant, different languages are integrated and users have natural conversations. The biggest challenge is the intuitive operation and comprehensibility of the smart speaker, especially with limited hearing capabilities as well as the readiness to buy services through voice assistants. The results of the focus group interviews and participant observations are intended to contribute to the evaluation and improvement of the use cases presented. Furthermore, they should provide information on which additional ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI), (Ake-Kob et al., 2021) need to be considered in the further development phase.
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