Telepresence Heuristic Evaluation for Adults Aging with Mobility Impairment

• Published in: Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 2017-09, Vol.61 (1), p.16-20
• Main Authors: Wu1, Xian, Thomas, Rebecca C., Drobina, Emma C., Mitzner, Tracy L., Beer, Jenay M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1541-9312; 1071-1813; 2169-5067
• DOI: 10.1177/1541931213601499

Mobility is a key component for older adults to maintain wellness and health while aging-in-place independently. However, older adults with mobility impairments may experience challenges in remaining socially connected. Telepresence systems hold much potential to help older adults with mobility impairments. However, telepresence systems are not specifically designed with this population’s capabilities and limitations in mind – creating many potential usability barriers. We conducted a heuristic evaluation of three telepresence systems. The results of the evaluation indicated a range of design issues. Issues related to the base height, un-adjustable screen height, camera resolution, microphone/speaker quality, and sensor sensitivity were categorized as hardware problems. Usability issues caused by poor network connectivity, lack of privacy settings, lack of notifications of the system status, and limited control of the system were identified as software problems. It is critical that designers consider and address these findings to ensure that telepresence systems are usable by individuals with a wide range of abilities.