Age simulator

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Age simulation suit Ford Third Age Suit III (2014)
Example of an age suit: Ford Third Age Suit III (2014)

An age simulator (also age suit / age simulation suit ) is a complex system that offers younger people the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of experience of older people.

description

The limitations simulated with various aids can be used to research how age changes affect the mobility , strength, perception or mood of younger people. Modern simulation suits can integrate more than 20 aging effects in one simulation and thus give younger people an impressive picture of being old.

There are different age simulators, target groups and areas of application. The method emerged in gerontology around 1974 and initially spread as instant aging (sudden old age) to bring the aging process closer to young medical students and nurses.

Various companies around the world have developed age simulation suits in recent years, which are mainly used to raise awareness of the topic. The simulations go beyond the healthy aging process, and diseases are also simulated, such as B. Parkinson's tremor or hemiparesis after a stroke. The participants of such a training / simulation have to solve some practical tasks, such as tying shoes, filling out forms, fetching a glass of water, turning on the refrigerator, reading the newspaper, paying the bills in the economy, reading something on the notice board or a small door sign .

Age simulation suits are also used today in the automotive industry (e.g. at Ford, VW, Audi, MAN Trucks, Scania) in order to take into account the limitations of older drivers when designing vehicles. In the case of older people, for example, reversing represents a particular hazard because it is harder for them to turn their heads backwards and their peripheral vision is restricted.

The simulation suits are increasingly part of the standard in the training of doctors, health and nurses, as well as elderly care workers. However, they are also used by many cities and municipalities to secure public facilities with regard to their accessibility. For example, traffic lights, crossings and stairs were checked. Real estate companies, architects, banks, insurance companies, hotels and tourism companies checked their premises, the legibility of the signage and the manageability of machines with them.

Finally, age simulation suits are used at many universities to research the behavior of older people in special situations. For example, research is being carried out into the changed behavior of older people when reading advertisements and websites (University of Ravensburg).

Although human aging is an individually unique process, functional aging is also similar, so that mean values ​​and standard deviations for the loss of function can be determined. Just as DIN, EN and ISO standards provide values ​​for the manufacture of vehicle seats, doors, emergency exits, etc. for all possible human dimensions, forces and abilities despite all the individual differences, so higher-quality age simulation suits can reduce the restrictions based on such standard values simulate that groups of users receive very realistic assessments of the average functional reduction in old age. Corresponding validation studies e.g. B. for visual acuity confirmed this.

Components

An age simulator can consist of individual components or an overall or suit in which weights are built in at various points in order to give an impression of the diminishing strength in old age. Older people can no longer move their joints as well and this is simulated with devices that restrict the mobility of the arm and knee joints.

Ear mufflers simulate reduced hearing, especially for higher frequencies. Age-related changes in vision, presbyopia , restricted field of vision , clouding of the lens ( cataract ) and altered color vision can be simulated with special visors or glasses. Other elements are gloves that allow the user to experience decreased dexterity and reduced sensitivity .

Areas of application

criticism

An age simulation suit can only raise awareness of the topic “from the perspective of older people”, but cannot correctly depict the limitations of older people. Since many suits are simply constructed, e.g. For example, earmuffs for simulated hearing loss, scratched, warped glasses for poor eyesight, aging processes are only shown in a very simplified manner. In older people, for example, the eye's ability to accommodate decreases. This does not reflect scratched glasses. Likewise, physically trained people can compensate for the restrictions caused by additional weights, so that decreasing muscle strength is not properly simulated. In the case of an age simulator, it is also often forgotten that the mental level is very important in old people.
In addition, a frightening picture of old age is drawn here: old people see and hear poorly, they have difficulty moving, life becomes torture. This has a deterrent effect on young people rather than promoting understanding.

literature

  • R. Schoeffel: Human-friendly everyday products. In: ISO Focus. Vol. 4, No. 9, Sept. 2007, p. 13 ff.
  • Wolfgang Blum: A simulator helps technicians understand the problems of old people. In: The time. No. 32, July 30, 1998, p. 26.
  • R. Heinrich: Instant Aging. In: Geriatrics Practice. 6/92 1992, p. 36.
  • Oliver Herwig: Universal Design . Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel 2008, ISBN 978-3-7643-8718-1 , p. 49 ff.
  • F. Trommsdorff, R. Heinrich (1992): The senior-friendly practice. Tips for practice. Advice for a "healthy" treatment of the elderly. Aspects of medical care, instant aging, supply chain. Alsdorf 1993, ISBN 3-924089-04-3

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