Autonomamente project - design, implementation and evaluation of a multimodal domotic application to support persons with cognitive disabilities

The AutonomaMente project developed a highly customizable application based on multimodal communication (speech, icons, text) to support autonomous living of persons with cognitive disabilities in special apartments fitted with domotic sensors. Its functionalities are designed to support everyday social activities of the users: using the telephone in a simple way, schedule appointments, keep track of time and organize personal finances and savings. A second evaluation is in progress in order to understand strong and weak points of both software and approach used to train users and caregivers. The aim of this paper is to expose the approach used and the solutions implemented to support people with cognitive disabilities while facing some difficulties deriving from their impairments (like, for instance, reading/writing difficulties, sequencing problems and long/short term memory impairments).