University of Minnesota Researchers Seek Volunteers for Feedback on New Technology

Posted on April 27, 2023 by Bobbie Guidry

Researchers at the University of Minnesota are developing a new technology to help reduce item loss in care settings and are looking for providers to offer feedback.  Volunteers will view a five-minute presentation about the technology and answer a few simple questions. The interview will be conducted over Zoom (or over the phone, if preferred) and will last around 30 minutes. As a token of appreciation, volunteers will receive a $50 Amazon gift card.

Volunteers must be over 18, care for older adults with memory concerns, and work in a formal care setting (nursing home, assisted living, or adult day services). Interviews can be conducted in English or Spanish.

For more information and to participate, please contact siddo018@umn.edu or jpmikal@umn.edu.

The project is funded by the National Institute on Aging and is a partnership with Advanced Medical Electronics, a Minnesota-based company specializing in health-promoting technologies. The goal of the study is to develop and pilot a tag-based technology that can be attached to valuables that older adults may bring to care settings. The tag can locate those items in the event that they are moved or misplaced. The goal of the technology is to avoid the loss of valuable items in care settings and allow workers to spend more time interacting with older adults and less time locating lost items.