| Assistive Technology (AT) is a generic term | | | | Another example: calculators are cheap, but a |
| that includes assistive, adaptive, and | | | | person with a mobility impairment can have |
| rehabilitative devices and the process used | | | | difficulty using them. Speech recognition |
| in selecting, locating, and using them. AT | | | | software could recognize short commands and |
| promotes greater independence for people with | | | | make use of calculators a little easier. |
| disabilities by enabling them to perform | | | | People with cognitive disabilities would |
| tasks that they were formerly unable to | | | | appreciate the simplicity; others would as |
| accomplish, or had great difficulty | | | | well. |
| accomplishing, by providing enhancements to | | | | |
| or changed methods of interacting with the | | | | Toys which have been adapted to be used by |
| technology needed to accomplish such tasks. | | | | children with disabilities, may have |
| According to disability advocates, | | | | advantages for "typical" children as well. |
| technology, all too often, is created without | | | | The Lekotek movement assists parents by |
| regard to people with disabilities, and | | | | lending assistive technology toys and |
| unnecessary barriers make new technology | | | | expertise to families. |
| inaccessible to hundreds of millions. | | | | |
| | | | Telecare is a particular sort of assistive |
| Universal (or broadened) accessibility, or | | | | technology that uses electronic sensors |
| universal design means excellent usability, | | | | connected to an alarm system to help |
| particularly for people with disabilities. | | | | caregivers manage risk and help vulnerable |
| But, argue advocates of assistive technology, | | | | people stay independent at home longer. A |
| universally accessible technology yields | | | | good example would be the systems being put |
| great rewards to the typical user; good | | | | in place for senior people such as fall |
| accessible design is universal design, they | | | | detectors, thermometers (for hypothermia |
| say. The classic example of an assistive | | | | risk), flooding and unlit gas sensors (for |
| technology that has improved everyone's life | | | | people with mild dementia). The principle |
| is the "curb cuts" in the sidewalk at street | | | | being that these alerts can be customised to |
| crossings. While these curb cuts surely | | | | the particular person's risks. When the alert |
| enable pedestrians with mobility impairments | | | | is triggered, a message is sent to a carer or |
| to cross the street, they have also aided | | | | contact centre who can respond appropriately. |
| parents with carriages and strollers, | | | | The range of sensors is wide and expanding |
| shoppers with carts, and travellers and | | | | rapidly. |
| workers with pull-type bags, not to mention | | | | |
| skateboarders and inline skaters. | | | | Technology similar to Telecare can also be |
| | | | used to act within a person's home rather |
| Consider an example of an assistive | | | | than just to respond to a detected crisis. |
| technology. The modern telephone is not | | | | Using one of the examples above, unlit gas |
| accessible to people who are deaf or hard of | | | | sensors for people with dementia can be used |
| hearing. Combined with a text telephone (also | | | | to trigger a device that turns off the gas |
| known as a TDD [Telephone Device for the | | | | and tells someone what has happened. This is |
| Deaf] and in the USA generally called a | | | | safer than just telling an external person |
| TTY[TeleTYpewriter]), which converts typed | | | | that there is a problem. |
| characters into tones that may be sent over | | | | |
| the telephone line, the deaf person is able | | | | Designing for people with dementia is a good |
| to communicate immediately at a distance. | | | | example of where the design of the interface |
| | | | of a piece of assistive technology (AT) is |
| Together with "relay" services (where an | | | | critical to its usefulness. It is important |
| operator reads what the deaf person types and | | | | to make sure that people with dementia or any |
| types what a hearing person says) the deaf | | | | other identified user group are involved in |
| person is then given access to everyone's | | | | the design process to make sure that the |
| telephone, not just those of people who | | | | design is accessible and useable. In the |
| possess text telephones. Many telephones now | | | | example above, a voice message could be used |
| have volume controls, which are primarily | | | | to remind the person with dementia to turn of |
| intended for the benefit of people who are | | | | the gas himself, but who's voice should be |
| hard of hearing, but can be useful for all | | | | used, and what should the message say? |
| users at times and places where there is | | | | Questions like these must be answered through |
| significant background noise. | | | | user consultation, involvement and |
| | | | evaluation. |