| This thesis addressed the need for the implementation of cognitive aiding devices in the homes of individuals with Alzheimer's disease as well as the means to design, test, and evaluate these prostheses. A human-centered analysis approach was employed to overcome the challenges faced with traditional research methods used for computer-based prosthetic design.;The processes of cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease were examined and simulated in a computational representation of human sensory, cognitive, and motor responses. The representation was then used to reveal requirements for cognitive prostheses in support of activities of daily living. Thereafter, the human performance model was used to predict the performance of the simulated computer-operators interacting with the simulated prosthetic system, using a Monte Carlo technique.;Based on the analysis, the quality of the prosthetic and of the use of computational representation in support of the aging population was demonstrated. Recommendations for future research are presented. |
