Exploring the Ecological Validity of Living Labs Through Real-World Experimentation: a Case Study on Motion Monitoring in Older Adults

This study examines the ecological validity of a Living Lab (LL) experimentation protocol by comparing it with in-the-wild data collection from older adults, focusing on walking speed as a measure of indoor ambulation. Data were collected in two settings: a Living Lab testbed resembling a home space and real world environment (homes). Three older adult cases were included in the current study. A case-series exploratory approach was used to analyze walking speed patterns across the two environments - the living lab and the real-life one. Statistical features were calculated, and statistical tests were applied to assess differences and agreement between the experimental conditions. The results revealed higher variability and lower values in walking speed in the home environment compared to the Living Lab, suggesting that the suggested experimental setting still lacks ecological validity. Given the small sample size, results are considered as hypothesis generation rather than definitive conclusions.