ical limitations have to be considered when discussing
our results. The sample was quite small, especially
to examine influences of user factors on the attitudes
and perceptions. With a larger sample, cluster analy-
sis approaches could provide more insights into user
group specific preferences for privacy. That the sam-
ple included people of all ages can at the same time
be seen as strength and weakness. On the one hand,
it allowed for the analysis of age effects, but on the
other hand, AAL technologies are targeted to older
adults and their specific needs so that evaluations by
younger adults are of limited relevance and validity.
Solely empathising with the situation and needs of
older adults is not the same as being in this situation.
A drawback of the questionnaire approach is the
missing hands-on experience with the presented tech-
nologies. In spite of all attempts to provide a most
comprehensible technology presentation, the partic-
ipants had only limited information about the AAL
technologies and no option to ask questions.
The questionnaire was distributed in Germany,
correspondingly providing only a German view on
privacy perceptions. Previous studies have shown that
attitudes towards AAL as well as privacy perceptions
are culturally biased (Alag
¨
oz et al., 2011; Krasnova
and Veltri, 2010). On social network sites, Germans
have been shown to expect more damage and perceive
higher risks for their privacy than Americans (Kras-
nova and Veltri, 2010). In contrast, in a comparison
of the attitudes towards AAL between Turkish, Pol-
ish, and German participants, Germans showed the
lowest level of concern (Alag
¨
oz et al., 2011). Demo-
graphic developments challenge not only the German
health care system and society, correspondingly AAL
technology acceptance should be studied in other cul-
tures as well.
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