Research on the inclusive design of wrist-worn wearable devices for the elderly based on TAM and conjoint analysis

The smart healthcare industry has experienced rapid development, with wrist-worn wearable devices (WWD) emerging as a prominent application. However, elderly individuals often face psychological, physiological, and cognitive challenges that contribute to heightened uncertainty when adopting new technologies. This study investigates the factors influencing elderly users' acceptance of WWD by integrating inclusive design principles into the Technology Acceptance Model. Furthermore, it examines WWD design from an inclusive design perspective to validate inclusive design’s significance and propose elderly-friendly design strategies. The research employs a structural equation model to analyze the relationships between inclusive design and other acceptance factors, utilizing questionnaire survey data (N=310). Additionally, a focus group discussion is conducted to identify key WWD design attributes that align with elderly users’ human-machine interaction needs. The findings demonstrate that inclusive design positively influences perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, providing empirical support for incorporating inclusive design in WWD development.