This book chapter presents work results of researchers from five European countries in the field of understanding new forms of digital divide. It discusses new divisions that are emerging within internet users: between narrowband and broadband. This becomes particularly salient in the light of claims that broadband enables richer experience, activities, and practices; these were studied also within the cross-national comparative perspective.
F.30 Professional assessment of the situation
COBISS.SI-ID: 30241885The chapter, which is part of acknowledged Peter Lang publication, first outlines the need for ambient assisted living and then presents user-centred research design, which is based on exploring the design ideas together with the potential end-users. Mixed-method design and participatory approach based on user involvement in each of the phases of sytem development resulted in higher levels of satisfaction with the SOPRANO system, as well as its acceptance. As a result of the research, key challenges to independent living and corresponding needs older people have in relation to a better quality of life are also presented. Service Oriented PRogrammable smArt enviroNments for Older Europeans (SOPRANO) was a European Commission 6th Framework Programme integrated project which was a consortium comprising over 20 partners from eight European countries (commercial companies, service providers and research institutes).
F.23 Development of new system-wide, normative and programme solutions, and methods
COBISS.SI-ID: 30242653Chapter is part of Springer's book "Technologies for Active Aging". It starts with a brief description of the user involvement, the developed use cases and the SOPRANO system followed by a description of the used methodology for the field trials and the framework used for analysing field trials’ results. The results of both the full function as well as the large scale trials are described. The paper shows that it is important to differentiate between the acceptance of users exposed to the system for a short duration in the full function trials and the acceptance of users who experienced the system in their most natural environment and daily life in the large scale trials. The leader of the postdoctoral project was involved in the core methodological group that designed the methodology for needs assessment analysis and the methodology for the evaluation of the SOPRANO support system.
F.02 Acquisition of new scientific knowledge
COBISS.SI-ID: 32174173The main objective of the chapter is to demonstrate that an investigation of the digital divide in the temporal perspective requires a wider and more holistic approach; if this requirement is not met, the results could prove to be biased and misleading which could in turn have a strong influence on the policy-making processes. Another aim of the chapter is to provide a transparent way of considering different options for regulation and to improve the policy-making process through the development and implementation of an integral methodological approach.
F.02 Acquisition of new scientific knowledge
COBISS.SI-ID: 29491037Being a member of the Management Committee (MC) of two COST Actions - the "COST Action 298: Participation in the Broadband Society" and "COST IS 1202-IS 1203: Dynamics of Virtual Work" - and leaderhip and involvement within numerous (inter)national projects (see CV) enabled an in-depth and interdiciplinary study of key constraints and facilitators on assistive technology uptake in the domains of social care and healthcare for the older people. Constraints refer mainly to the lack of strategic planning and cooperation among the groups of key stakeholders and the identification of funding frameworks and business models. The paper delivers a decision support tool, aiding the decision-making process concerning the strategic management of the (wider) exploitation and deployment of telecare services in Slovenia. The articile underlines the importance of the implementation of the assistive technology for digital inclusion, in which Slovenia critically lags behind other European countries. This article discusses the possible ways of introducing support services in Slovenia and the necessary steps in this area, which are in the form of an action plan relevant to the development of national policies and business models. The above measures have been formulated on the basis of cooperation with many foreign experts in this field.
D.01 Chairing over/coordinating (international and national) projects
COBISS.SI-ID: 3539045