Aging with the Internet of Things

International audienceWith capabilities for sensing, analysis, and actuation, the IoT has immense potential to help aging adults maintain health and independence. The Internet of Things (IoT) offers a host of new functionalities for sensing both environments (e.g., through motion-activity sensors) and individuals (e.g., through wearable smart watches) and for analyzing sensed data to make them actionable to users via notifications (e.g., through a smart speaker) and to applications via actuators (e.g., through a light switch). Wireless capability facilitates the deployment and use of such devices in every aspect of life and across age groups. This article explores the potential of the IoT to compensate for age-related changes by helping older individuals achieve and maintain health and independence. We briefly explain the Internet of Things and its relevance to aging, and then illustrate its applicability with a fictional 80-year-old. Although much of the technology exists to support the fictional scenario, there are challenges to the widespread attainment of the IoT's potential. We review these and then focus on the particular challenge of technology acceptance among the elderly, considering particular aspect