Jarrod Orszulak

While it may be noble to develop robotics to help older demographics in society, companies small and large have good business reasons to do so. Roughly 10,000 Baby Boomers retire daily. These consumers not only have wants and needs, but they have worked their whole lives to create a nest egg to fund them. After 40-plus year careers, expectations are high, whether it’s demanding robotic-assisted surgery to get back on the golf course, an automated vacuum to take care of the house or a vehicle with the latest car with driver-assistance features to keep them independent. To make an impact (and a profit) designers must look beyond the mere need and consider user adoption and motivation if they hope to be successful in this increasingly competitive market. This talk will first define the size and opportunity this market provides robotics companies. Examples of how businesses are re-defining the way technical products and services are developed, marketed and adopted by older users will be presented. The challenges between the design team and consumer such as empathy, social, economic and other barriers will be discussed. The audience will leave with a greater appreciation for user adoption and an awareness of best practices for designing for older audiences. Hint: nobody ever asked for a wristlet incase ‘I have fallen and I can’t get up’. But if we work together, I promise we can build them what they do want.

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