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