Understanding the Interest Toward Smart Home Technology: The Role of Utilitaristic Perspective

Every day, innovative devices support healthcare for the escalating needs of the population ageing but the poor adoption hinder their spread older adults. The present study aims to investigate the factors that may influence perceptions and expectations of 306 Italian older adults (M74, SD7.43) towards smart home and wellbeing technology. A questionnaire was verbally administered in face-toface sessions by trained interviewers in order to collect data. Overall, the results returnapositivepictureofparticipants’perceptionofthetechnologythoughattitude towards technology is definitely driven by utilitaristic means: usefulness, easiness, safetyandprivacyareconsideredimportantwhileaesthetics,sizeandweightarenot. Around half of our respondents have a positive interest in technology and almost all of them believe that technology may eventually improve their life. According to these findings, the paper discusses some challenges for the whole research sector that appears still fragmentary and lacking of a strong body of evidence. Moreover, the promotion of trust and empowerment actions through instructional programs is highlighted