ABSTRACT
Technological innovation and adoption affect society. It is therefore vital for technology designers, service providers and policy-makers to take into account existing and relevant social trends and the effect of new technological developments on them, when innovating, drawing up business plans, and promulgating regulation. The graying of the population is one such important trend. This chapter examines current technological developments in this and other social contexts. In the domain of technology, we are face-to-face with a full-blown digital revolution. Different business models will have to co-exist for some time, and regulation must be in place to ensure that open market structures foster innovation and industry collaboration. Although convergence has given rise to a number of new technical and regulatory challenges, it has also provided the possibility of making communications cheaper, more accessible and portable. Many public sector institutions are looking at information and communication technologies as a way to improve the conveniences of daily life.
