Indoor Navigation: Augmented Reality as Case Studio for Cognitive Inclusion

Authors: Longer life spans due to developments in medicine and technology have led to an increasing number of people aging in health conditions that require assistance and treatment. Older adults who are not self-sufficient need medical, welfare, rehabilitative, and social services assistance. Long-term care has a significant impact on the national social and health system and involves a growing number of caregivers who are challenging to find. With the use of digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI), it is possible to implement home care systems by avoiding the use of public health care and improving the living conditions of older adults. In the field of innovative technologies, augmented reality (AR) represents valuable support for older people, not only to improve their confidence and independence but also to enrich their social life and cognitive well-being. The present study addresses the problem that afflicts older people in terms of loss of orientation and walking from their usual environment. This situation requires the assistance of a dedicated person who accompanies the subject to predefined destinations and prevents them from running into danger. Our proposed solution is a navigation system that allows older patients to move without resorting to their caregivers. The study aimed to verify the possibility of applying the technology generally used for video games to develop an indoor navigation system. A smartphone APK application for augmented reality was developed using the Unity-Vuforia framework. The method differs from traditional approaches in that it indicates the target destination without the use of arrows and instead employs labels. In the lab, staff members assessed the solution. The destinations were successfully reached, with an error of 2%.