Understanding entangled human-technology-world relations: use of intelligent voice assistants by older adults.

Alisha Pradhan, Shaan Chopra, Pooja Upadhyay, Robin Brewer, Amanda Lazar

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Information research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Alisha PradhanDepartment of Informatics at the New Jersey institute of technology. She received her Ph.D. from University of Maryland, College Park and her research lies at the intersection of human-computer interaction, aging, and accessibility.

Shaan ChopraComputer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington. Her research interests lie at the intersection of human-computer interaction (HCI) and health to create inclusive technologies that help people better understand, experiment, and make decisions based on personal health data.

Pooja UpadhyayInformation Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park. Her research focuses on the digital divide in the older population, using mixed methods approaches like systematic reviews and ethnography.

Robin BrewerUniversity of Michigan's School of Information. She received her Ph.D. from North-western University. She does research in human-computer interaction at the intersection of social computing and accessibility.

Amanda LazarCollege of Information Studies at the University of Maryland. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Washington. Her research lies at the intersection of human-computer interaction (HCI) and health informatics.

Funding

Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research - RESEARCH CORE (REC)P30AG015281 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI PETER A. LICHTENBERG, ROBERT Joseph TAYLOR · 1997 to 2026

$19.3M

ACL HHS 90REGE0024NIA NIH HHS P30 AG015281

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Emerging technologies like intelligent voice assistants or social robots can shape human relations with the world. To illustrate how an emerging technology mediates relations and shapes social practices in the context of aging, we present findings on use of voice assistants by older adults. Method: We analysed interviews with 24 older adults by adopting a post-phenomenological perspective to examine how an emerging technology actively mediates relations between older individuals and their larger social world. Results: Our findings surface the different types of relations that voice assistants mediate between older adults and their larger social world, unpacking how these relations shape social practices around what it means to give company to pets, to live alone, or to give and receive care. Discussion: We discuss implications for understanding the mutually constitutive relations between older adults and the emerging technologies they use and opportunities in designing to support neglected relations, and accounting for nonhuman actors in technology and aging research. Conclusion: We provide a preliminary understanding on how an emerging technology shapes social practices in later life. This understanding is crucial for aging and technology research, as several emerging technologies (e.g., social robots) target older adults, yet little is known about the relationships and discursive practices that shape their use.

Identifiers

PMID40568603

PMCPMC12188954

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.