Privacy-Aware Monitoring for Assisted Living : Ethical, Legal, and Technological Aspects of Audio- and Video-Based AAL Solutions

Abstract

This open access book provides an interdisciplinary collection of perspectives on the design of privacy-aware audio and video-based monitoring solutions for Active and Assisted Living (AAL). AAL involves leveraging innovative technologies to create supportive and inclusive environments, empowering older, impaired, or frail individuals to live independently and actively participate in society. Bridging technology, law, and ethics, this book explores state-of-the-art approaches for the development of AAL that prioritize user privacy, making it an essential resource for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in the field. It is the culmination of GoodBrother, a Europe-wide project funded by the COST Association, aimed at enhancing awareness and expertise on the ethical, legal, and privacy issues associated with audio- and video-based monitoring in assisted living contexts. Written by experts from computing, engineering, healthcare, design, law, ethics, and sociology, it provides diverse perspectives into AAL. • Introduces a taxonomy of AAL technologies and applications, providing guidance from data acquisition and processing to interaction and infrastructure of AAL systems. • Describes the core competencies, including machine learning, privacy preservation in audio and video, data security, and security by design. • Presents in-depth reviews and case studies on AAL applications, such as fall detection, gait and frailty recognition, activities of daily living, vital sign monitoring, affective computing, and smart mirrors. • Contains the state of the art and advances in AAL, especially with regards to privacy, ethical, and legal issues, including GDPR, but also the implications of the AI Act and the Cybersecurity Act.