The superposition of an aging society and a digital and intelligent society is a global trend. Due to the rapid development of China's digital economy and the rapid increase in the proportion of the elderly population, this phenomenon is particularly obvious in China. How to make the aging society and the digital and intellectual society stick together, rather than collide, is a problem that needs active research and response from all walks of life. Building a friendly society for the elderly and realizing digital inclusion and intergenerational harmony are the due manifestations of human social civilization in the new era.
Digital technology needs to be optimized and further promoted for aging
In order to better meet the growing digital life and information service needs of the elderly, and help build a barrier free environment with smooth information and comfortable experience, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the Work Plan for Promoting the High Quality Development of Digital Technology Adapting to Aging (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan") on December 19, 2023. The Plan proposes that by the end of 2025, the standard and specification system of digital technology aging adaptation will be more perfect, the scale of digital technology aging adaptation transformation will be effectively expanded and the level will continue to deepen, the quality of digital product service supply and user experience will be significantly improved, the industrial ecosystem of deep cross industry integration will be more mature, and the multi-party coordination, supply and demand balance, and security will be in place The aging and high-quality development pattern of digital technology with accessible services has basically taken shape, and the sense of acquisition, happiness and security of the elderly in the informatization development has steadily improved.
To enable the construction of a friendly society for the elderly, digital technology needs to rely on the mutual integration of digital technology and a friendly society for the elderly. For example, in the aspect of friendly home life, digital technology can provide remote environmental monitoring; In terms of friendly health support, digital technology can provide remote health management; In terms of traffic friendliness, the elderly can enjoy priority online car hailing service. With the promotion of the government, the guidance of public opinion and the efforts of enterprises, most mainstream websites and APPs have passed the aging and barrier free evaluation. These websites and APPs are more user-friendly for the elderly after transformation, and the empowerment of these digital technologies also makes the construction of a friendly society for the elderly keep pace with the times. Obviously, the aging modification has achieved phased results. But looking at the existing achievements, it is not difficult to find that the focus of most aging applications is mainly on the "four major" human-computer interfaces, such as large font, large volume, large keys, and large icons. There is very little research on the interaction process between the elderly and intelligent technology, human-computer integration mode, and so on. The Plan requires that we focus on promoting digital technology aging in the industrial and information fields from "from scratch" to "from existing to excellent", which is very correct. We have aging standards, products and technologies, and now we need to optimize and further promote digital technology aging.
Let the aging light warm the elderly all the time
The aging adaptability of digital technology includes three levels: the first level is the aging adaptability of human-computer interface, which is mainly manifested in the operation interfaces such as large font, loud voice, large keys and large icons. Now most APPs have completed the aging adaptability transformation of this level; The second level is the aging adaptation of human-computer interaction, which mainly considers the thinking habits and operation process of the elderly. For example, the elderly usually prefer "button type operation and drawer type interface". However, the content after the aging adaptation transformation is mostly a line by line link style, without taking into account the real interaction habits and needs of the elderly; The third level is the aging adaptability of human-computer integration. The lack of transformation of "human-computer integration" is mainly reflected in the rational division of labor between the elderly and intelligent devices and applications. What needs to be completed by the elderly independently and what needs to be completed by applications should be considered. For example, how to provide input methods for the elderly with different eyesight and operating ability, voice input or text input? Good design should encourage the elderly to exercise and continue to use their remaining body functions, rather than completely replace them. In general, in the above three levels, more aging design has been done for human-computer interface, but there are few aging design and research for human-computer interaction process, and aging design and research for human-computer integration have just begun. Therefore, it is urgent to further study "interactive aging" and "co integration aging" (i.e., human-computer co integration) based on the design of "interface aging", so as to provide theoretical reference for creating intelligent applications that are easy to use and enjoyable for the elderly.
For a specific elderly individual, aging adaptation is a dynamic process. If he/she is in a healthy stage (such as young age), he/she can consider the operation and functional design similar to that of ordinary people. At this time, the elderly are still afraid of being labeled "old" by others and are unwilling to use the old version of the system; If he (she) is in the stage of poor health (such as middle age), the interface and interaction process suitable for the elderly can be considered to compensate for the decline of vision, hearing and other abilities; If he or she is in the stage of poor health (such as old age), we can consider the senseless service for the elderly, and pay attention to human-computer integration. The elderly can enjoy various data or information services, even life or health services, without operating intelligent devices or systems. Therefore, the aging of digital technology also needs to consider personalized aging and dynamic aging.
In the Plan, "from some to excellent" is proposed. The "excellent" here should pay attention to the aging adaptation is a long-term "optimization" process. As long as the APP or website used by the elderly has new functions online, it should be considered to carry out the aging adaptation construction simultaneously. Adaptation to aging needs a long time to work. It must not be sports adaptation. The government's promotion will be completed. Instead, it should include barrier free transformation and adaptation to aging into daily update and maintenance. As long as the APP or website used by the elderly has new functions and new versions online, it should consider simultaneous adaptation to aging. Only in this way can aging fit into the developer's awareness and development plan, and keep pace with the times, so that the aging light can always warm the elderly. In this sense, the launch time of the Program is very good, which helps all aspects of society to further realize that digital technology's aging adaptation is a long-term process, is conducive to the high-quality development of the aging industry, and is conducive to the construction of a friendly society for the elderly.
(The author is a researcher of the National Development and Strategy Research Institute of Renmin University of China and the director of the Institute of Smart Elderly Care)
