The Technology Explorers: Partnering with Older Adults to Engage with Virtual Reality and Virtual Avatars

Abstract

Participatory research methods are increasingly being adopted when designing and evaluating emerging technologies for older adults. This chapter details our approach to applying participatory methods to our work with a group of older adults during series of workshops. The workshops involved working with 25 adults from both regional and metropolitan areas, who were over the age of 70. We referred to these participants as the Technology Explorers. The Technology Explorers partnered with us to explore how Virtual Reality (VR) technology could be harnessed to provide older adults with opportunities to participate in meaningful social activities. This chapter focusses on the initial engagement ph..