Photo Alive! Application and Method for Intergenerational Social Communication

Abstract

Rapid increase of technology and escalation of Social Network Services (SNS) are widely being used for elderly life improvement and support interaction among family members. Advancement in technological tools and rapidly changing social communication mediums bring intergenerational gap. Due to increase of digitalization, seniors are left behind in technological skills that caused loneliness and social isolation. Elderly need to introduce with new technological means, an opportunity has revealed for better social and technological integration. We propose a system that provides Intergeneration Social Communication (ISC) among elderly people and family members using family photos. Family Photos provide interaction with the viewer being a communication medium among members of different age groups create emotional attachment. On one hand high tech savvy younger generation prefer smart modified technology while on the other hand, older age people are far away from new interaction techniques and prefer simple technology. In this paper, we proposed a system “Photo Alive!” and camera based smart phone app concerning capture photos and send to TV based “Photo Alive!” as well as on SNS, named “Photo Alive!” This app facilitates to remove intergenerational gap among older and younger generation by providing elderly friendly platform by using simple and smart interfaces and techniques like Remote control, touch pad and voice. Photo Alive! Service focus age group in social media through family photos with objective to intergenerational social communication providing family photo view service, photo tagging service and photo based interactive service to bring elderly people closer to family members, friends and loved ones for cultivation of family togetherness of all generations. After development stage, our system will be evaluated by easily accessible techniques for elderly through provision of uncomplicated and smart elderly friendly interfaces.