Invitation to participate in MATUROLIFE online testing

We would like to invite you to participate in the online testing of smart furniture, footwear or clothing that was developed in the MATUROLFE project.

• What:         Individual 1-hour online testing via Zoom

• Who:          Older persons 65+

• When:        December + beginning of 2021

• How:           Write an email to Dr. Danying Yang, Coventry University, ac9061@coventry.ac.uk who will follow up with you directly about the next steps.

After having run several co-creation workshops together with older adults and informal carers to older persons in 9 different countries during the Spring and Summer of 2018 (in UK, Italy, France, Germany, Slovenia, Turkey, Spain, Poland and Belgium), a series of design concepts were developed with focus on the priorities identified in these workshops:

• Clothing that helps maintain body temperature
• Footwear that supports balance and helps prevent falls
• Furniture that helps maintain a good sleep routine and encourage activity

These concepts have been developed over the last 24 months into early prototypes (test versions of the final products). Some participants have in the meantime already given valuable feedback on the early designs and models to refine the ideas.

Now, during the winter of 2020, the final prototypes will be ready for demonstration with older adults and before the project ends in March 2020. We are now keen to seek the views from the intended end users about these products (older adults and informal carers to older persons) and their usability.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we plan to collect feedback and views from participants remotely via online “testing” sessions.

We would therefore like to invite you to join us in an online testing session via Zoom. You will be able, via computer and Internet connection, to watch a pre-recorded video demonstration of these prototypes – either clothing, footwear or furniture. A facilitator will guide you through the session and ask for your views about what you like and don’t like, and how you think they could be further improved.

We hope you will be interested in participating in such an online “testing” session to provide your views and help us identify remaining barriers about the product’s usability.

With many thanks for your consideration. Your help and input are very much appreciated.