White virtual reality headset

Extended Reality and Aging

As the global population ages, there is a growing need to address the unique challenges and opportunities associated with aging and maintaining a high quality of life. We are looking at Extended Reality (XR), encompassing Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR), to investigate its adoption by older adults and design considerations for aging abilities. As such, we seek to:

  • Explore the barriers and facilitators that shape the willingness of older individuals to embrace XR to design effective interventions, considering factors such as technological literacy, perceived usability, and potential benefits in enhancing their daily lives.

  • Understand the design considerations when creating XR devices to ensure they are intuitive, accessible, and enjoyable by tailoring them to meet older adults' specific needs and preferences.

Resources

  1. Boutros, H.M., Bajwa, A., Jafri, M., Vashishth, V. , Merna, M. , & Harris. M.T. (in prep). Exploring the landscape of immersive environment design and adoption: A scoping review protocol. PLOS Open.

Meet the Team

  • Helana Boutros

  • Ameeta Bajwa

  • Sahij Gill

  • Vanessa Vashishth

  • Merna Mina