AARP is launching a new digital health initiative called Project Catalyst that provides developers of popular and emerging products insight into how Americans 50-plus use technology in order to identify ways to improve the devices for mature consumers. The first study will be focused on popular activity and sleep trackers performed in conjunction with UnitedHealthcare and Pfizer Inc. It will serve as the first of several technology studies that AARP will conduct with the goal of accelerating innovation for aging Americans.
Study Launches Project Catalyst
Project Catalyst engages consumers in the innovation process by providing valuable feedback on product functionality and design – from the time users open the packaging and as they incorporate the technology into their daily lives. Project Catalyst is the latest in a series of efforts led by AARP to raise awareness of the economic power of consumers who are 50-plus and conduct research about their wants and needs regarding innovative products. This influential demographic is comprised of over 100 million people responsible for at least $7.1 trillion in annual economic activity – a figure that is expected to reach well over $13.5 trillion in real terms by 2032, according to Oxford Economics.
Testing the Trackers
Georgia Tech Research Institute is conducting the first study which involves up to 80 50-plus consumers who are testing five different sleep and activity tracking devices over a six-week period. Researchers will evaluate how the study participants use the products and will record barriers and user engagement with some of the most popular activity and sleep trackers on the market. Researchers will not rank the products, but will determine where the technology is serving the needs of older consumers and areas where the users want improvements.
Product developers will receive comprehensive results on their own specific product, providing them with actionable insights to help drive innovation. Overall findings about how people in the study use the devices and barriers they find will be shared publicly. The findings from the study on sleep and activity trackers will be available in June 2015.
Project Catalyst Builds on AARP Innovation Leadership
Project Catalyst builds on the long-standing commitment by AARP to ensure Americans 50-plus are part of the technology and innovation ecosystem. AARP’s Innovation Team joined UnitedHealthcare to launch www.longevitynetwork.org last year. The website highlights nine health frontier areas that are ripe for investment and invention that can serve the wants and needs of the 50-plus community.
In addition, the AARP Innovation team is conducting a series of “LivePitch” events to identify and promote entrepreneurs who are developing health care products and services for the 50+ community. These events, which have been held for the past three years, have attracted more than 400 applications and helped companies raise approximately $47 million in venture capital – funding that was unaffiliated with AARP.
For more information about Project Catalyst please visit www.aarp.org/projectcatalyst.
