CTA Foundation, IBM Announce Effort To Improve Lives of Older, Disabled People

The CTA Foundation and IBM will collaborate on cognitive computing research to proactively monitor the health and well-being of older people and those with physical and cognitive disabilities. CTA said Thursday in a news release the aim is to give device and software makers and healthcare and social service providers a “broader perspective” in how such systems can transform the delivery of information in a way that balances privacy, security and accessibility issues. More than 47 million Americans are 65 or older, with 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every day for the next 15 years, CTA said. It said people 60 and older will account for about 22 percent of the global population by 2050, vs. only 12 percent now. The new initiative will examine how mobile, smart home appliances, robotics and wearable devices could improve services such as proactive alerts about medications, exercise and dietary reminders, among other “in-home” technology applications. It will also study how weather conditions and traffic patterns affect people’s social activities.