M.R. Wigan “Constructing Age and Technology as Augmentation, not Degradation”. IEEE ISTAS 2013. Toronto June 25-27, 2013 IEEE Xplore: 136-143.

The widespread Western community construction of age as a dependent state has been reflected in many of the studies of technology and the aged. The present paper considers the situation that would obtain if this was reversed, and genuine utilization of the skills and knowledge of the aged applied to their own situations, as appropriate enhancements rather than as imposed assumptions. Examples are given, and the underlying causes of paternalistic ‘engagement’ models for the elderly, and questions are raised as to the social implications of these persistent myths, the benefits of revising them, and the forces that will make this necessary

M. R. Wigan “Technology Enhancement - A full role for the elderly” .pdf version of the full slide set of the presentation to the Melbourne Graduate House, October 2014 PowerPoint slides in full(15mb)

The elderly are often the subject of technology assistance, but rarely are made active and peer parties to such Research and development, and are omitted from governance structures affecting them when fully capable or peer and leadership technical roles. Partly as the stereotypes of the old old are rarely distinguished from the capacities of the young old (<75). Examples are given of mobility, assistive technologies and the cooperative design successes when these dependency stereotypes are overcome.

M. R. Wigan “Technology Enhancement - A full role for the elderly” Video recording of the presentation to the Melbourne Graduate House, October 2014 .3gp format (29mb) (Full720p mp4 494mb version <here>

The elderly are often the subject of technology assistance, but rarely are made active and peer parties to such Research and development, and are omitted from governance structures affecting them when fully capable or peer and leadership technical roles. Partly as the stereotypes of the old old are rarely distinguished from the capacities of the young old (<75). Examples are given of mobility, assistive technologies and the cooperative design successes when these dependency stereotypes are overcome.