The role of augmented paper in the promotion of healthy ageing

Understanding health information is important for everyone in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and avoiding or coping with ill health. Much health information is still delivered through paper leaflets, brochures and posters as well as packaging of medicines, because these materials are universally accessible, especially to older people unfamiliar with new technology. However digital channels such as websites, email, and social media are also used to extend the reach of printed information at reduced cost and provide richer illustration of medical concepts.

This project will investigate the relative roles of paper and screen-based information in the promotion of healthy ageing in the UK, and explore the potential of augmented paper documents in this domain. These augmented documents will be created and tested using the University of Surrey’s Next Generation Paper (NGP) platform, which allows printed hotlinks to be played on a nearby smartphone.

The project is in partnership with Kent, Surrey and Sussex Academic Health Sciences Network, Surrey County Council Public Health, and the Department of Gerontology, Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil (UFSCAR).