The "Alertness: Training for Focused Living" training programme aims to teach older adults how to modify their alertness levels, so that they may benefit from leading more focused and engaging lives.
The Alertness Training Programme is a four-week, self-administered home-based training programme. Participants receive an Alertness Training Kit in the post and are encouraged to work through the guidebook five days per week. The programme’s flexibility allows the participants to learn at their own pace. The flexibility and self-administered structure of the alertness training programme has increased older adults’ willingness to partake in the study.
This study uses bio-feedback from the electrical conductance of the skin, otherwise known as galvanic skin response (GSR). GSR levels are linked to alertness. Feeding this back to users helps train them to self-alert and maintain high levels of alertness. The cushion-like design of the device reduces its medical or technical appearance. Data is captured on an SD memory card for analysis at a later stage.
Read article 'Co-creating an Alertness Training Programme: The Power of Participatory Design'