Cognitive Modeling in Human Computer Interaction: Understanding Technology Usage in Elderly People

There has been substantial increase in the human population throughout the world. As we age, problems associated with aging is increasing rapidly - medical, biological, psychological, economic, social etc. There is a significant age-based digital divide. India is the second largest populated country and one the fast growing developing countries in the world. The advancement of technology and technology-enabled services are proliferating rapidly forgetting the aging population. This paper discusses an experiment investigating to understand technology usage in elderly people and their experience with technology in an Indian context. We surveyed 25 samples aged between 60-75 years of age, using smart phone and living in Bangalore. The implications of the results are discussed in this paper. We have chosen the Bangalore city for our study because it is known as the Silicon Valley of India which attracted people from across India and abroad due to job opportunities and economic growth. It the third most populous city and 5th most populous urban area in the country. Current population of Bangalore is estimated to 11.5 crore and the literacy rate is 89%.