Abstract
As the number of persons over 65 makes a meteoric rise worldwide, there is a need for convergence of many fields to best prepare systems and technology that support older adults. These adults constitute a special population with capabilities, limitations, needs, and motivations that can only be addressed through interdisciplinary innovations. We situate the needs of older persons in an adaptation of the hierarchy of needs, first proposed by Maslow in the mid-twentieth century. Using such a framework can help create a culture of convergence between fields in cognitive/behavioral science, medicine, and engineering to ensure that new technologies are well designed for lifelong learning and fulfillment to the point of self-actualization – not just basic life support.
“Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength.”
Betty Friedan (1921–2006)
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McLaughlin, A.C., Feng, J., Pak, R. (2016). Life-Long Learning. In: Bainbridge, W., Roco, M. (eds) Handbook of Science and Technology Convergence. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07052-0_59
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07052-0_59
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