Design and Automation for Seniors - Robot aided design of an environment for the elderly and disabled.

Abstract

The changing social structure and the development of new technologies in the emerging Society of Knowledge makes possible the development a new kind of living space or habitat that adapts and responds to the needs and problems of elderly. The exponential growth of the aging population in EU, US and Japan is well proven and it urgently calls for the innovative solutions. Today use of automated and robotic elements in design opens the new possibilities for architecture. This paper offers the background of the problem, presents few precedents of assisted by mechatronics solutions, review the four experimental design projects from Warsaw University of Technology and in conclusion propose the agenda for further design research.