RANIA: A Framework for a Modular, Voice Enabled, GeronTechnology-Centric, Smart-Home System

In the United States, the proportion of senior citizens is expected to rise significantly over the next few decades. This increasing number of senior citizens combined with the increasing demand for at home healthcare workers is putting a strain on the elderly healthcare system. Smart-home healthcare technology { such as smart medication dispensers, fall detection systems, smart pantry systems, etc. { has the potential to alleviate this strain on the elderly healthcare system. Smart devices can give an individual more autonomized and personalized surveillance of their health and well-being. While these devices are beneficial as standalone devices, they would be more accessible and extensible under a single, modular smart-home system. For these reasons, the GeronTechnology Lab at West Virginia University is developing the Residents Aware Network for Intelligent Assistance (RANIA) system. RANIA is a modular smart-home system that is designed to integrate numerous types of devices for aiding elderly residents in aging at home. This thesis presents a generalized framework for integrating RANIA devices within the RANIA smart-home system. The novel aspects of this project are the one-click device connection/disconnection and automated package management for devices connected to the RANIA Hub. Other functionalities outlined include system messaging and Amazon Alexa Echo system integration