Object recognition-based mnemonics mobile app for senior adults communication

Abstract

There has been an exponential increase in smartphone usage across the globe due to decreasing production costs and a competitive marketplace. Smartphones and mobile internet services have thrived together to create virtual connections between people. However, there have been very few successful mobile apps developed for assisting senior adults in their day-to-day activities. Our research center has been developing artifacts for helping older adults. In this paper, we present the design and features of an android-based mobile app that has been developed as a mnemonics app. The app utilizes image recognition technology to trigger events using the options of calling phone numbers, sending short message service (SMS) and tweets. Caregivers and family members can map images of everyday target objects to events in the app. Subsequently, seniors can use the app to scan these objects for automatically triggering the pre-defined events, thereby saving time and effort.