Open Notebook: Accessibility of Technology for People With Dementia

Friday, November 21, 2025

https://amandalazar.net/Research.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Summary of Amanda Lazar’s Research Page

The lab studies how researchers and designers conceptualize marginalized populations, especially around vulnerability, disability, and wellness.
Their work includes designing and building novel interactive systems and conducting long-term mixed-method evaluations.
A major focus is on technologies for older adults, especially individuals with cognitive impairments such as dementia.

Investigates how technologies for meaningful engagement are currently used by people with dementia.
Includes interviews with practitioners, people with dementia, and caregivers.
Aims to identify barriers to long-term technology use and unmet needs.
Goal is to guide the design of technologies that better support meaningful engagement.
Led by Emma Dixon (PhD student, iSchool).
Funded by U.S. Administration for Community Living, HHS (Grant 90REGE0008).

Focuses on how to design technologies (particularly VR/MR) to support the sharing of embodied skills (e.g., woodworking, knitting, gardening) between generations.
Addresses how technology can help people access meaningful hobbies despite disabilities or constraints.
Current work centers on gardening, with participant observation and interviews.
Studies how experienced older gardeners can mentor younger novices remotely.
Led by Teja Maddali (PhD student, Computer Science).

Examines why older adults adopt or abandon IoT technologies.
Explores integrating maker technology so retirees can build IoT devices that matter to them.
Developing a modular toolkit to allow older adults to design their own IoT systems.
Includes a human-rights-based co-design study involving people with dementia in intergenerational workshops.
Projects explore smart home technologies in cohousing contexts.
Led by Alisha Pradhan (PhD student, iSchool).
Funded by NSF Award #1816145.

Open Notebook