Extract

With the increasing elderly population, there is a heightened demand for knowledge about housing that best fits their needs, particularly in the event of increased impairment. More specifically, greater understanding is required of those with limited mobility and reduced spatial usage. This research
examines the use of indoor tracking systems as an architectural research tool, to investigate the spatial use of the elderly in their private house. Data on equipment performance specifications, cost and operability was gathered through a literature review, through a review of technical specifications and eliciting further information by emails to the suppliers and finally the physical testing of one system. This data was subjected to a comparative analysis. The research found that there were a complex set of requirements for accurate recording of spatial use, which are derived from housing setting, research design and the required scale of movement to detect. The systems that meet all requirements for tracking the elderly indoors are scarce. Improvements to currently available indoor tracking systems would enhance the potential for using them as part of user focused architectural research and provide a more precise and effective knowledge for the design of housing for the dependent elderly.

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