If you watched the September 29 episode of Dragon's Den on CBC, you will have met Raul Rupsingh and Stephen Beath and their 83-year-old beta tester, Hazel Brunt from SoftShell Computers. She demolished the resistance of the smart-ass Venture Capitalists when they initially trashed the concept of a senior-friendly operating system. They caved in and ponied up some capital to finance further development.
Based on touch-screen technology and large icons, the new product will make basic computing available to all those seniors who missed the first wave of the computer revolution. The focus is on the four main interests of seniors: Mail, Photos, Internet browsing and Games. No need to learn the complexities of Windows XP or Vista nor will you be distracted by the flood of hyperlinks and pop-up ads that trash the e-mailing experience when using Hotmail or Gmail.
Control is in the hands (or fingers) of the end-user at a pace that accomodates the frailties caused by aging and connects them on-line to the rest of us.
Control is in the hands (or fingers) of the end-user at a pace that accomodates the frailties caused by aging and connects them on-line to the rest of us.
Based in London, Ontario, the company just incorporated last December, but already has several adult facilities as beta testing partners: Chelsey Park Retirement Community, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Windermere on the Mount, Queens Village for Seniors, Parkwood Hospital, and Revera. This is going to be the next big technology success story to come out of Canadian innovation. A computer work station in our Heritage Village Recreation Club would be most appropriate.
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