Evaluation of smart TV user interfaces for older adults based on the perception assessment method of analytic...

With the deepening of population aging in China, smart TVs have become the most frequently used home digital device for older adults, serving as their core channel for daily information access and entertainment. However, the mismatch between older adults' perceptual needs, declining sensory and cognitive abilities, and the complex interface design of smart TVs has severely exacerbated the digital divide among this group. Existing studies mostly focus on qualitative age-appropriate design strategies, and lack a targeted, quantitative usability evaluation system that integrates older adults' subjective perceptual needs and interface performance assessment. This research develops a multi-level usability evaluation index system for older adults' smart TV interfaces by integrating Kansei Engineering (KE) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)-fuzzy theory. The system includes 2 first-level, 5 s-level, and 25 third-level indicators. Taking Huawei (Harmony OS) and Skyworth (Android-based) smart TVs as cases, this research conducted a standardized usability test with 15 older adults aged 60-74 in a novice user scenario to eliminate the interference of prior learning experience. The evaluation system's robustness was preliminarily verified through model sensitivity analysis, with overall score fluctuations below 1.71% under ±10% perturbations of core indicator weights. The results show that within the user experience dimension, interactive usability (local weight: 0.4126) ranks highest in importance, followed by feedback usability (0.3275), which is identified as a high-priority optimization direction due to its low actual scores. Skyworth scored 83.11 in overall usability, while Huawei scored 81.95; both brands scored relatively low in user experience usability (around 79 points), with error prevention, recoverability, and generic function being major issues. The system developed in this study can effectively assess interface usability, providing data support and targeted design guidance for the age-friendly optimisation of smart TV brands. This study has two main limitations: the sample is concentrated in the Zhaoqing region of Guangdong Province, and only two mainstream smart TV systems are evaluated. Future research will broaden the sample size to ensure the universality of the conclusions.