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What is Assistive Technology?

Assistive Technology (AT) is a generic termAnother example: calculators are cheap, but a
that includes assistive, adaptive, andperson with a mobility impairment can have
rehabilitative devices and the process useddifficulty using them. Speech recognition
in selecting, locating, and using them. ATsoftware could recognize short commands and
promotes greater independence for people withmake use of calculators a little easier.
disabilities by enabling them to performPeople with cognitive disabilities would
tasks that they were formerly unable toappreciate the simplicity; others would as
accomplish, or had great difficultywell.
accomplishing, by providing enhancements to
or changed methods of interacting with theToys 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 withoutThe Lekotek movement assists parents by
regard to people with disabilities, andlending assistive technology toys and
unnecessary barriers make new technologyexpertise  to  families.
inaccessible  to  hundreds  of  millions.
Telecare is a particular sort of assistive
Universal (or broadened) accessibility, ortechnology 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 yieldsgood example would be the systems being put
great rewards to the typical user; goodin place for senior people such as fall
accessible design is universal design, theydetectors, thermometers (for hypothermia
say. The classic example of an assistiverisk), flooding and unlit gas sensors (for
technology that has improved everyone's lifepeople with mild dementia). The principle
is the "curb cuts" in the sidewalk at streetbeing that these alerts can be customised to
crossings. While these curb cuts surelythe particular person's risks. When the alert
enable pedestrians with mobility impairmentsis triggered, a message is sent to a carer or
to cross the street, they have also aidedcontact centre who can respond appropriately.
parents with carriages and strollers,The range of sensors is wide and expanding
shoppers with carts, and travellers andrapidly.
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 assistivethan just to respond to a detected crisis.
technology. The modern telephone is notUsing one of the examples above, unlit gas
accessible to people who are deaf or hard ofsensors for people with dementia can be used
hearing. Combined with a text telephone (alsoto trigger a device that turns off the gas
known as a TDD [Telephone Device for theand tells someone what has happened. This is
Deaf] and in the USA generally called asafer than just telling an external person
TTY[TeleTYpewriter]), which converts typedthat  there  is  a  problem.
characters into tones that may be sent over
the telephone line, the deaf person is ableDesigning 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 ancritical to its usefulness. It is important
operator reads what the deaf person types andto make sure that people with dementia or any
types what a hearing person says) the deafother identified user group are involved in
person is then given access to everyone'sthe design process to make sure that the
telephone, not just those of people whodesign is accessible and useable. In the
possess text telephones. Many telephones nowexample above, a voice message could be used
have volume controls, which are primarilyto remind the person with dementia to turn of
intended for the benefit of people who arethe gas himself, but who's voice should be
hard of hearing, but can be useful for allused, and what should the message say?
users at times and places where there isQuestions like these must be answered through
significant  background  noise.user consultation, involvement and
evaluation.



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