Adoption Barriers of Assistive Ambient Technology: A Systematic Literature Review

As the global populace is aging, many countries are preparing for a better environment to age in place. Ambient assistive technology refers to devices and systems that help to improve the quality of life by promoting independence, safety, and comfort in their living environment. Despite the abundance of studies focusing on elderly technology adoption, resistance to utilizing such technology persists among this demographic. Moreover, there remains a lack of understanding regarding the barriers to technology adoption within the aging population. The elderly are more comfortable aging in place, and there is evidence that technology can play a vital role in supporting their daily life. To investigate the barriers faced by the elderly in adopting assistive ambient technology, a systematic review was conducted. This study includes articles selected from Scopus and Web of Science databases. Three groups of keywords were combined: those relating to adoption barriers, assistive technology, and the elderly. Using thematic analysis, data from 43 articles were analyzed, yielding six main themes: 1) cost; 2) environmental; 3) personal; 4) psychological; 5) social; and 6) technological. The results of this study are expected to aid in the development of technology catering to the preferences of the elderly.