The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and BigScreenLive to Expand Online Access

SEATTLE - Sept. 5, 2013 - PRLog -- The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and BigScreenLive to Expand Online Access and Computing Experiences for Older Adults

Miami, Florida (August 29, 2013)­ ­The University of Miami Miller Medical School, one of the nation's leading research institutions, has entered into an exclusive license agreement with BigScreenLive (http://bigscreenlive.com/) to expand online access and improve computing experience for older adults based on a proprietary software developed at UM, in collaboration with two other institutes.

For the past two years, BigScreenLive has worked closely with the CREATE (Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement) consortium. CREATE is a multidisciplinary and collaborative center between the University of Miami, Florida State University and Georgia Institute of Technology, founded in 1999 and dedicated to ensure that the benefits of technology can be realized by older adults.  A major field trial developed by CREATE was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  The CREATE team collaborated with BigScreenLive to modify BigScreenLive’s software platform and enhance its interface specifically for use in the NIH trial.  The modified software product is called PRISM, for “Personal Reminder Information and Social Management” for seniors.

“PRISM would help seniors fully utilize technology and participate in society as computers continue to play an expanding role in daily life”, said Dr. Norma Sue Kenyon, Vice Provost for Innovation at the University of Miami. PRISM, like BigScreenLive, seeks to support greater social and family connectivity, improved independence, memory skill building, access to community resources, and to support the well-being and quality of life of older adults. The goal of the study is to gather systematic evidence about the value of this technology for older adults and to identify factors that affect use and usability, acceptance and adoption.  The Center will be publishing its interim study findings in the third quarter of 2013.  Dr. Sara Czaja, Principal Investigator for PRISM, is a highly regarded member of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine research staff.  Dr. Czaja and her multi-university team were recently recognized and honored by the American Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and later this year will receive the 2013 Jack A. Kraft Award for Innovation.

About BigScreenLive

BigScreenLive is a software interface which makes the Internet fun and easy-to-use for seniors and their families. The software provides email, address book, photo sharing, news, web search and game features. For more information about BigScreenLive, please contact Don Ferrel at don.ferrel@bigscreenlive.com  (next)

About ­The University of Miami's Miller Medical School and CREATE

As one of the nation's leading research institutions, for the past 12 years, scientific research at the University of Miami’s Center on Aging, http://centeronaging.med.miami.edu/, has focused on understanding the aging process and improving the quality of life for older adults and their families.  As part of that effort, the University of Miami is a partner with Florida State University and Georgia Institute of Technology in the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE), http://www.create-center.org/. CREATE is a multidisciplinary and collaborative center, founded in 1999, and dedicated to ensure that the benefits of technology can be realized by older adults to support and enhance their independence, productivity, health, safety, social connectedness and quality of life. For more information on the collaboration between University of Miami and BigScreenLive, please contact Dr. Bin Yan, Office of Technology Transfer, University of Miami, tel: 305-243-4035 or BYan@med.miami.edu

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