Ambient Spatial Sound for Assistive Homes

Abstract:
Aging is accompanied by physical and mental changes, which may result in specific needs for support in the daily life of a person. This paper describes a system, which uses non-speech natural sound to “visualize” important events and activities in households in an ambient manner, specifically for elderly people who are likely to forget things. Our ambient reminder aims at maintaining the self-controlled independent living at home and reminds residents non-intrusively of things that are likely to be forgotten. Auditory notifications are attached to physical devices and objects in the house, such as the fridge, the medicine cabinet, or the television. They indicate not only the type of event or necessary action, but also provide information, at which location the attention of the resident is needed.