Nana technology

The term “Nana” technology was coined in 2004 by Andrew Carle, an assistant professor at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

Since defining the sector, Carle has served as a consultant or adviser to a number of companies with an interest in developing technologies for older adults, including APPLE, Nintendo, Vigorous Mind, and GTX Corporation.

Sensory: Includes technologies that assist older adults affected by reduction or loss of vision, hearing, taste, touch, or smell.

Carle has released or presented multiple Top "Nana" Technologies opinion lists, which have been published in numerous national and international media.

Examples cited by Carle have included a medicine cabinet featuring both face recognition and voice communication capabilities, a “smart shirt” that can monitor vital signs and administer CPR in the event of an emergency, "sensory" shoe inserts that can provide older adults with the same balance as a 20-year-old, and a personal assistance robot that can hear, see, and smell.