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What next for disability innovation; assistive tech build in as the new standard of tech accessibility for all?

GOMPERTZ, Nick
September 2023

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A short talk given in the Disability Innovation Summit: Inclusive Interactions conference organised by the GDI hub on 13 Sept 2023.

 

The story of the progress in the development and of issues with the roll out of Earswitch is briefly outlined. The particular advantages for people with communication difficulties owing to cerebral palsy, motor neurone disease and locked in syndrome and also the advantages for the general population are highlighted.  Work is being carried out on eye tracking. Difficulties in transitioning to market are discussed.

What fails: and what's not needed, Disability Dongles

HOLLOWAY, Catherine
LANDRE, Anna
September 2023

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Presented at the Disability Innovation Summit: Inclusive Interactions conference organised by the GDI hub on 13 Sept 2023.

 

A discussion concerning disability dongles (expensive technical solutions to disability problems without sufficient design input from disabled people - examples include a stair climbing wheelchair and an exoskeleton). Setting up networks of disabled people to input requirements, contextualisation of issues (for example the lack of repair facilities for wheelchairs especially in the global south), telemedicine, and the difficulties in appropriate funding for appropriate projects are discussed.

  

Beyond Barriers: Journeying from Exclusion to Inclusion with R2D2 and NCAHT-IITM

SRINIVASAN, Sujatha
September 2023

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Presented at the Disability Innovation Summit: Inclusive Interactions conference organised by the GDI hub on 13 Sept 2023.

 

Challenges in the development and bringing to market of functional, affordable, high quality AT devices are outlined. The development of the manual standing wheelchair and the lessons learnt in taking it from prototype to market (using the GRID model) are introduced. The challenges of affordability and of awareness of AT including by professionals is highlighted. The work of the National Centre for Assistive Health Technologies (NCAHT at AIIMS, New Delhi) including experience zones of architectural barriers where people can try wheelchars on different surfaces and realise that disability is imposed by the environment is briefly described. Wheelchair skills training and community outings are part of the centre. Other topics mentioned include: the need to normalise disability; the need for collaborations; funders; scalability; fragmented markets and the need to access global markets 

Future tech: revolutionary solutions and AI – the new face of disability inclusion?

HOLLOWAY, Catherine
CHO, Youngjun
CAVE, Richard
MWENDA, Brian
September 2023

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Presented at the Disability Innovation Summit: Inclusive Interactions conference organised by the GDI hub on 13 Sept 2023.

 

Three short talks on future technologies and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). All three emphasise the importance of co-creation with people with disabilities. 

 

Topics in the first talk include: contributions of the use of AI to SDGs; problems with regulation; improved holistic understanding of non-communicable diseases; street route optimisation for peope with visual impairment; speach to text apps; storytelling for people with dementia; self care biosensors; improvements in the information seeking journey (example motor neurone disease)

 

The second relates to experiences in Ghana with people with cerebral palsy/speach and language issues and a speach recognition technology project carried out with Google. Issues with measurement of success are raised.

 

The third introduces work being carried out on mobility solutions for people with visual difficulties in Kenya and Hope Tech.

 

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