Voice-Activated Digital Assistants

Voice-Activated Digital Assistants to Support Health and Independence

Principal Investigator

Wendy Rogers, Ph.D. , Lab

Team Members: Kenneth Blocker, Ph.D., Travis Kadylak, Ph.D., Lyndsie Koon, Ph.D., Emma Lachs, B.S., Kathryn Huang, M.S., Jaewon Kang, Ph.D., Laura Rice, Ph.D., & R. S. Sreenivas, Ph.D.


Partners: OSF Healthcare; Post-Polio Health International; National Multiple Sclerosis Society; Clark-Lindsey Village; Disability Resources and Education Services (DRES); CRIS Health Aging; University of Chicago; National Opinion Research Center (NORC)

Voice-activated digital assistants, such as Amazon Alexa devices, have great potential to support people aging with mobility disabilities. Alexa can be integrated with a variety of smart home technologies, such as robotic vacuums and smart light bulbs, to help people with limited mobility complete activities at home as independently as possible. In this project, we conducted in-home evaluations of new digital voice assistant applications for smart home technologies that were developed in the Developing Voice-Activated Digital Home Assistants Project

In the “Digital Assistance in a Box” (DAB) field trial, we provided our specially designed technology suite to older adults with mobility disabilities to assess the benefits and barriers of integrating smart technology within their lives to assist with in-home daily activities. The DAB contained a digital home assistant (Amazon Echo Show), smart light, and smart plug, as well as dedicated instructional materials designed with older adults in mind. Through this research, we explored the practicality, usefulness, and effectiveness of the applications and instructional user guide in improving the lives of users.

woman in a wheelchair speaking to Amazon Echo device

Select Publications

  • Kadylak, T., Blocker, K. A., Kovac, C. E., & Rogers, W. A. (2022). Understanding the Potential of Digital Home Assistant Devices for Older Adults through their Initial Perceptions and Attitudes. Gerontechnology, 21(1), 1-10.
  • Blocker, K. A., Ramadhani, W. A., & Rogers, W. A. (2022). Developing an Instructional Suite for the Amazon Echo to Support Novice Older Adults’ Use. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 66(1),1046–1050. https://doi.org/10.1177/1071181322661422.
  • Blocker, K. A., Kadylak, T., Koon, L. M., Kovac, C. E., & Rogers, W. A. (2020). Digital home assistants and aging: Initial perspectives from novice older adult users. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting. SAGE Publications. Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1071181320641327 

Project Alumni

  • Leonardo Galoso, B.S.
  • Saahithya Gowrishankar, B.A
  • Husna Hussaini, B.S.
  • Roshanak Khaleghi, Ph.D.
  • Cristopher Kovac, B.S.
  • Ki Lim, B.S.
  • Maya Malecki
  • Vikram Ramavarapu, B.S.
  • Sathvika Veeravalli
  • Kacie Vlach
  • Kyre Williams, B.S.
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