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AB S T RAC TF or elders who remain independent in their homes, the home becomes more than just a place to eat and sleep. The home becomes a place where people care for each other, and it gradually subsumes all activ ities. This article reports on an ethnographic study of aging adults who liv e independently in their homes. S eventeen elders aged 6 0 through 90 were interv iewed and observ ed in their homes in 2 Midwestern cities. The goal is to understand how robotic products might assist these people, helping them to stay independent and activ e longer. The ex perience of aging is described as an ecology of aging made up of people, products, and activ ities tak ing place in a local env ironment of the home and the surrounding community. In this env ironment, product successes and failures often hav e a dramatic impact on the ecology, throwing off a delicate balance.

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