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Smart homes are often seen as a gimmick. However, alongside accessible design, automation and convenience solutions play a crucial role for people with reduced mobility. After all, the generations are getting older and older, and caring for them is becoming an ever greater challenge.
Good planning and analysis, together with technology, provide support in everyday life. They also ensure that people can live independently and safely for as long as possible. They take the strain off not only those affected, but also their relatives, who are increasingly responsible for their care and support. These technologies no longer have to be expensive. The main way to save money is to think about future needs when building a new home or renovating an existing one.
SBC editor Lena Schönthaler in conversation with interviewee Gerhard Nussbaum: the Technical Director and Deputy Managing Director of the Competence Network Information Technology to Promote the Integration of People with Disabilities (KI-I).
Smart planning starts with the little things
Two findings from the research: Theoretically, we can control our entire environment with today’s developments. We can operate the blinds via app or sensor, and fit windows with a rain sensor to close them automatically when it rains. But we can only find out which solutions are really necessary by analyzing our everyday lives. And: even small things can be a challenge – but also a great help – for people with disabilities.
The requirements for impairments are very individual. Gerhard Nussbaum therefore recommends analysing usage patterns. It is important to gain a genuine understanding of residents’ needs. Intelligent solutions start with the little things: Lighting, for example, is becoming increasingly important, as is the well-considered positioning of sockets.
For people with disabilities, even bending down to plug something into a socket can be very uncomfortable or lead to accidents. Nussbaum: “A practical solution is therefore to position sockets at a higher level. Ideally, below light switches or at a height of 90–120 cm.” This avoids the need to bend down, and the sockets are easily accessible to everyone, regardless of height or mobility limitations.
Sockets should also be strategically placed near the bed in the bedroom. Ideally, at least two, to allow for the connection of devices such as electric beds, as the expert points out.
Wireless and smart networking
Another important aspect concerns the type of electrical installation. Conventional installations in which light switches are connected directly to the lighting are often used. This means that a lamp is switched on and off when a switch is pressed. However, this can have its drawbacks. This is particularly true when comprehensive remote control is required to adjust or monitor the environment. Retrofitting with remote-controlled switches can be expensive, as Nussbaum explains.
He adds: “With wireless systems such as ‘EnOcean’, light switches can be easily installed in any location. No wiring is required.” EnOcean offers not only switches, but also motion and activity sensors, for example. These are simply stuck in place.
These motion detectors and smart light switches do more than just save energy. They also allow the lighting to be adjusted automatically according to requirements and the time of day. The safety aspect should also not be forgotten with increasing age. For example, it makes sense not to go to the toilet at night in complete darkness. Dimmed lighting in the hallway reduces the risk of accidents – and still lets the rest of the house continue to sleep.
Generally speaking, optimal lighting in the home becomes increasingly important for general well-being as we get older. A holistic lighting design takes into account factors such as the natural circadian rhythm and age-related vision impairments. The targeted control of light colours and brightness not only improves comfort and atmosphere; research also suggests that it has beneficial effects on health. A project in Vorarlberg, for example, showed that better illumination with lighting scenarios had the side effect that people needed less medication such as sleeping pills.
KNX: Everything networked everywhere at once
If a new building or extensive renovation is planned, a modern KNX-based electrical installation offers numerous possibilities for optimizing the living environment. KNX is a bus system used for data transmission. Already used in industry for decades, KNX is a future-proof technology: Thousands of devices from over 500 manufacturers belong to the KNX Association and are compatible with each other. They can be controlled and automated across the board and seamlessly networked.
This type of installation may require more effort, but many smart home product lines have been withdrawn from the market in recent years. In the worst case, the devices and solutions had to be purchased from scratch. That won’t happen in the case of KNX: These solutions will be around forever. If a product is withdrawn from the market, it can simply be replaced.
A decisive advantage is that adjustments and changes can be made quickly and easily through programming. If you want to change the function of a light switch or add a switch in a new location, these changes can be made without the need for major building work. Once the installation is complete, there are virtually no limits.
Smart wall switches allow you to control a wide range of functions throughout the home without the need for additional individual devices. This provides an optimised solution for controlling lighting, blinds and other electrical appliances without the need for separate switches.
AI is making these systems even smarter: artificial intelligence can turn off the lights and the TV and lower the blinds if we fall asleep in front of the TV. This may sound trivial, but it is essential for people with special needs. In the case of impaired cognitive abilities such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, the entire environment can be supportive to the extent that these people can still live independently and safely despite their limitations. This also relieves the burden on family structures.
Improvement systems for everyone – not just for the elderly
These solutions are not only explicitly designed for older people and those with special disabilities or mobility impairments. Gerhard Nussbauen believes this is the wrong approach, because it casts ageing and the limitations that come with it in a negative light. It is therefore time to see these products as “lifestyle products” that are suitable for everyone and raise the general standard of living.
For example, Gerhard Nussbaumfest is convinced that a flat equipped with a bus system would not only be considered accessible; it would also meet the requirements of a multimedia home, enabling modern and comfortable living. Accessibility is exciting for many other target groups, such as parents traveling with baby carriages.
Away from negative connotations, towards comfort
Our living situation and quality of life in old age and when we have health issues depend on how practical and forward-thinking our planning and implementation have been. In other words, the extent to which we have taken the different life cycles into account.
The integration of technology into our everyday lives enables a further increase in quality of life – for those affected, but also for family caregivers. The key to this is a precise analysis of living conditions and usage habits.
What does Gerhard Nussbaum want? That older people and people with disabilities are given more consideration in the development of products. What comes onto the market as a killer feature is often not accessible. For example, there used to be buttons on the washing machine that blind and visually impaired people could easily learn to operate. Today, however, there are touchscreens and displays with a wide range of functions that can no longer be operated by people with visual impairments.
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