Development and validation of an ageing-oriented smart products design framework based on technology acceptance model (TAM)

With the global prevalence of diabetes among the elderly on the rise, integrating smart product technologies into daily healthcare offers a promising solution. This study examines the key variables influencing elderly individuals' acceptance of smart products to develop an ageing-oriented smart product design framework. A literature review and questionnaire were conducted to identify determinants of technology acceptance. To ensure robustness and practical applicability, the proposed framework was subsequently validated through expert review. The findings reveal that behavioural intention (BI) serves as the central variable influencing elderly users' acceptance, while perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), perceived enjoyment (PE), and self-efficacy (SE) emerge as significant internal predictors of BI. Among the external variables, appearance design (AD), function design (FD), and interface design (ID) exert the strongest indirect effects on BI through their influence on PEOU. Based on these relationships, a smart product design framework tailored for diabetic elderly was constructed. This study advances the understanding of the structural relationships between TAM variables and product design factors, providing both theoretical insights and practical guidelines for the development of smart products for diabetic elderly, with broader implications for the ageing population. Future research will further explore the daily needs of diabetic elderly and incorporate usability testing in real-world settings to implement and refine the framework.