The promise of AAL, or ambient-assisted living, can be traced back to the emergence of smart home technology in the 1960s. It has grown, in step with technological progress, ever since. At the heart of AAL is the conviction that IT systems and service surrounding older people, at home and outside, can make life easier and help cope with the consequences of age-related physical and mental decline. But a plethora of research and development projects over the last few decades has shown that making good on the promise of AAL is far from easy. Before any AAL solution can become a success, end-user requirements need to be understood and brought to bear on system design, ethical requirements need to be understood and met, systems must fit into daily routines and work processes, and services must be based on viable business models.

The AAL field is one of the business areas where empirica has the longest experience, with projects dating back to the late 1980s. We offer a wide spectrum of services that is constantly updated to reflect recent developments. This includes methods for requirements analysis among older people, informal carers, professionals and decision makers; and the design of service processes. We frequently play the role of mediator between system users and developers, collecting requirements from both sides and developing workable solutions accordingly. Furthermore, we help to understand and address ethical issues on the conceptual and the practical level. By applying our tools and methods for value case development, we help IT and service providers to build sustainable economic models even for complex revenue configurations. On the strategic side, we offer market analysis, benchmarking and country comparison, as well as policy analysis and consulting.