Assistive Technologies for the Specially Disabled

SOURCE: — https://africaintherockies.org/the-reality-of-being-disabled-in-africa-and-how-you-can-help/

Originally written and published in 2020 by Similoluwa Okunowo

Technology is rapidly catalyzing innovative changes in several aspects of living, and becoming a “messiah” for people with disabilities such as visual impairment, speech impairment, mental dysfunction, neuropsychiatric disorders (NPDs), physical impairment, hearing disorders, dyslexia, autism, etc. These disabilities prevent affected people from performing regular day-to-day activities easily or independently. Older people are the most adversely affected by disabilities in the society. The American Journal of Preventive Medicine (2019) also reported in a study that the percentage of people living with disabilities was greater in rural communities, estimating that one-third of adults in rural communities live with disabilities.

Due to the advent of advanced technologies and information processing capabilities, assistive technologies are fast becoming a ‘messiah’ for a vast number of people living with disabilities. Assistive technologies refer to adaptive devices, and rehabilitative technologies created specially for the disabled to ameliorate the effects of these disabilities, and enable them to perform regular day-to-day activities independently or without assistance. The independence of disabled people is very critical for their general well-being, and assistive technologies are playing a very central role in enabling this independence and making society more inclusive for disabled people.

Some very innovative Assistive technologies include: -

1. Mobility aids for people with physical disabilities. Mobility aids are assistive devices designed specifically for people with physical impairment, to assist them in moving. Causes of physical disabilities include loss of upper or lower limbs, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, quadriplegia, and stroke. Traditionally, walking sticks, manual clutches, and wheelchairs have been used to aid mobility in disabled persons. However, these mobility aids influenced by assistive technologies have dramatically improved the effectiveness of those systems. Some of these technologies include:-

• Voice-controlled wheelchairs for quadriplegics,
• Mind-controlled wheelchairs and crutches using BCI technology,
• Robotic prosthetics,
• Orthotic devices.

An improved AI-enabled kit by Intel which provides control of movement via facial expressions is shown below:-

Intel AI posted on LinkedIn

2. Hearing aids for people with impaired hearing or listening functions. People with hearing disabilities have difficulties hearing, listening, and understanding speech or sound. Conventional hearing is majorly based on cochlear implants which directly stimulate the auditory nerve. However, these methods have proven to be insufficient due to noise, environmental, and distance factors.

Significant advances in assistive technology for hearing have helped to tackle this insufficiency with more effective methods for amplifying sound, and transmitting information from the transmitter to the receiver easily. Some of these advances include:-

• Audio induction hearing loops,
• Brain-Computer Interface-inspired communication,
• Frequency modulation systems,
• and other accessories used to connect them to media devices such as phones, computers, etc.

3. Assistive technologies for cognition:- For people with cognitive disabilities. Cognitive disabilities are impairments that limit a person’s intellectual capacity and involve difficulties in problem-solving, attention, memory, math comprehension, speech and communication, and mental functioning generally. Some major causes of cognitive disabilities are dyslexia, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder), brain injury, autism, dementia, etc.

Virtual reality, augmented reality, and gaming applications have specifically been adopted to help affected kids and adults with cognitive impairment.

• Virtual reality-inspired immersive and non-invasive therapy can be used to treat phobias in autistic children,
• Virtual reality can also help elderly people suffering from dementia recall old memories, and reduce aggression,
• Gaming applications with augmented reality can improve the learning experience for dyslexic kids to aid their literacy and problem-solving skills,
• Virtual reality-based therapy can also be used to tackle social anxiety in kids and adults.

4. Assistive technology for visual impairment:- Visual impairment refers to disabilities that affect a person’s ability to see objects clearly without difficulties. Common visual disabilities include blindness, low visual acuity, color blindness, photophobia, etc. Common causes of visual disabilities are age-related effects, diabetes, eye damage, albinism, etc.

Some assistive technologies designed specifically for people with visual disabilities include:-

• Envision, an iOS and Android mobile app uses Artificial intelligence-powered smart glasses to enable visually impaired people to independently access visual information around them. It leverages object detection to help them interact with their environment, and Optical character recognition to help them read,
• Enhanced video and image magnifiers to assist people with low vision,
• Mobile braille watches and notetakers for writing and reading.

Making Assistive technologies accessible to rural communities

Providing assistive technologies for the disabled in rural communities might be an unfeasible task due to several factors such as illiteracy, high poverty rate, lack of infrastructural support, lack of technical know-how, etc. However, these limitations can be solved by:-

1. Proper sensitization on the existence of assistive technologies and their effectiveness in helping disabled people,
2. Facilitating access to assistive technologies,
3. Empowering community members with technical skills to find more local solutions, using low-cost materials and devices.

References

• https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/assistive-apps-gadgets/
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/solrogers/2019/04/03/how-virtual-reality-can-help-those-with-autism/
• https://www.afb.org/blindness-and-low-vision/using-technology
• https://www.disabled-world.com/disability/types/cognitive/
• https://www.letsenvision.com/blog/envision-announces-ai-powered-smart-glasses-for-the-blind-and-visually-impaired