Should we be designing for an ageing future. You bet, but not like this

The mighty Cambridge University has put its renown intelligence behind the subject of ageing and how we should design for the future.

Well here are the solutions.

• A kettle which monitors blood pressure
• TV ‘buddies’ to allow people to remotely share the experience of watching a programme
• A ‘cuddle cushion’ which would allow relatives being able to send each other cuddles
• A smart water bottle which would prompt people to drink more to prevent dehydration
• Accessible and modern ‘Boris Scooters’ (or Segways) in towns and cities to help people with mild mobility impairments get around
• The development of national ‘trusted information’ systems for online and telephone transactions to reduce the risk of scams

I will leave it up to you to decide the extent this has added to our understanding of the subject and the good such innovations would achieve.

Personally, I think their perspective is a tad limited. Now if you would like to understand what can and must be achieved, then have a look at the work that we have been undertaking. Dick Stroud