Data ecosystem using smart home technology to support healthy aging

Abstract Background Smart home technology has been widely used to mitigate the challenges that population aging brings. However, the lack of a centralized data ecosystem has prevented these technologies from realizing their full potential. This project aimed to construct a data ecosystem compatible with smart home sensors to monitor healthcare for seniors, improving their quality of life. Methods The infrastructure was constructed using a user-centered design approach, allowing smart devices such as motion, temperature sensors to operate independently and communicate through a Wi-Fi mesh network. API technology provides a reliable channel for real-time data collection. To ensure data privacy and security, extracted data is hosted in a cloud environment that provides comprehensive data protection, and cloud computing is utilized for high-performance computation tasks. Analytical models such as Machine Learning can be implemented to recognize indoor activities, achieving the goal of remote monitoring. Results This data ecosystem advances in privacy and security, interoperability, accessibility, and data-sharing. Unified authentication mechanism ensures data is transmitted among heterogeneous devices with minimal vulnerability. Additionally, the common communication protocol provides the foundation of interoperability between devices. With unobtrusive devices, inhabitants are not burdened with operation, ensuring their accessibility and improving their user experience. Lastly, the data is exchanged in a standardized JSON data format, enabling efficient data-sharing board data integration. Conclusions This project developed a data ecosystem based on existing smart home environments. The ecosystem is compatible with smart devices that families already have, effectively reducing additional healthcare costs. Implications of this study include helping health policy and decision makers to adopt more smart home ecosystems to keep older people healthy at home. Key messages • Study constructed a data ecosystem compatible with smart home sensors, achieving remote monitoring of indoor activities and improving the quality of life for seniors. • The developed ecosystem offers promotion in privacy and security, interoperability, accessibility, and efficient data-sharing, reducing healthcare costs.