Assistive Technology

HMK
Course Objectives
(i)To gain fundamental knowledge in
development of rehabilitative biomedical
systems

(ii) To acquire practices skills in development of

assistive technologies for medical applications
Introduction

• According to World Health Organization (WHO) nearly, 15% of

the world’s population has different disabilities

• Between 110 – 190 million of them have disabilities that cause

significant difficulties in functioning

• This number is increasing related with the population ageing

and global increase in chronic health conditions.
Introduction
• Many of these people with disabilities do not have equal chance to
access social services and employment opportunities

• People with disabilities need assistance and support to go on their

daily life and participate in social and economic life

• But, they could not achieve these goals, due to lack of assistive
services.
What is disability?
• Disability is an umbrella term covering;
impairments,

activity limitations,

and participation restrictions

• Impairment is a problem in body function or structure;

• An activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or

action;

• Participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in

life situations.
Who is a person with disability?
• Disabled is the person who has difficulties in adapting to the social life and in meeting
daily needs due to the loss of;

 physical,

mental,

psychological,

sensory

and social capabilities

• at various levels by birth or by any reason thereafter and who therefore need protection,
care, rehabilitation, consultancy and support services.
Types of disabilities
• Hearing Disability: People who lost their hearing ability, partially or totally, are the main
members of this group

• Speaking Disability: People who cannot speak due to any reasons, or have problems with the
fluency of the speech or sound are the members of this group

• Mental disability: Mental retardation, Down syndrome patients are the members of this
group, too.

• Orthopedic Disability: People, who have inadequacy with muscles, anatomic problems, lost
any part of his/her body, belong to this group

• Seeing Disability: People, who lost their seeing ability, partially or totally, are the main
members of this group, people using prosthesis eye, color blind and moon blind are the
members of this group, too.
Types of disabilities cont’d
• Chronic Disease: People who have a chronic disease that obstruct their daily life such as;

 blood diseases,

cardiovascular system diseases,

urinary system diseases,

endocrine diseases,

cancers,

metabolic diseases,

neurologic diseases,

 AIDS,

are belongs to this group.

Assistive Technologies:
• Assistive technology is technology used by individuals with disabilities in order to
perform functions that might otherwise be difficult or impossible

• Assistive technology can include mobility devices such as;

 walkers and wheelchairs,

 as well as hardware,

software,

and others that assist people with disabilities in accessing computers or other information
technologies.
• For example,

people with limited hand function may use a keyboard with large
keys

people with low vision may use software that enlarges screen
content,

people who are deaf may use a text telephone

or people with speech impairments may use a device that speaks
out loud
• Assistive Technologies can be in several forms such as;

 no-tech,.

low-tech,

and high-tech.
• No-tech assistive technology such as extended time, colored
letters among slow learners,

• Low-tech assistive technology such as calculators

• High-tech assistive technology: computer components such as

specialized software and advanced hardware devices
Assistive Technology Device:
• Assistive technology devices are identified as:
• any item,

• piece of equipment

• or product system,
• that is used to;

• increase,

• maintain,

• or improve the functional capabilities of people with disabilities

Assistive Technology Device:
• The term does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted

• Although the term “device” is used, assistive technology devices also include
software

• Almost any tool can be considered to be an assistive technology device except

implants
Assistive technology devices
1. Learning Aids:

• Electronic and non-electronic aids such as calculators,

• spell checkers,

• portable word processors,

• and computer/tablet-based software solutions and apps

that are used by students who has difficulty achieving in the educational curriculum
Aids for Daily Living
Assistive technology devices
2. Self-help aids: Used in activities such as;

• eating,

• bathing,

• cooking,

• dressing,

• toileting,

• and home maintenance

Assistive technology devices
3. Mobility Aids: Electronic and non-electronic aids such as;

• wheelchairs (manual and electronic),

• walkers,
• Clutches
that are used to increase personal mobility
4. Adaptive seating systems and positioning devices: provide students with optimal positioning

5. Visual Aids: Electronic and non-electronic aids such as;

• magnifiers,
• talking calculators,
• screen reading software

that assist people with visual impairments or blindness

Assistive Technology Service:
• The service given to a person with a disability in the selection,
acquisition, and use of an assistive technology device.

• The following considerations are important;

a. Evaluation of the needs of a person with a disability

b. Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying,

retaining, repairing, or replacing assistive technology devices
Assistive Technology Service:
c. Acquisition of assistive technology devices by persons with disabilities by
purchasing or otherwise

d. Training or technical assistance for a person with a disability

e. Training or technical assistance for professionals who provide services to people

with disabilities

f. Use other therapies or interventions, such as those associated with

rehabilitation plans
THANK YOU