Leading way in assistive technology

Apr 3 2008 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal

WE’RE living in a ticking timebomb. The population is ageing and rapidly.

With current healthcare models being unsustainable, and a lack of care workers in proportion to the rising numbers of baby boomers requiring care, the question is, what is technology doing to help?

The need to serve these rising numbers has already led to the NHS funding research and trials into assistive living solutions that will enable independent living.

This would reduce hospital admissions and allow health professionals to manage larger caseloads of patients.

One of the key ways technology can help do this is through research into – and the creation of – products and services using Assistive Technology (AT).

Now there’s a widespread percep- tion that AT is only for the very elderly and disabled, but well- designed AT solutions are actually used by the majority of us in everyday life.

Power steering and BT’s best-selling Big Button phone are examples of assistive technologies used by all types of people on a daily basis.

In the North East, we’re working on a number of projects that use good user-centred design approaches to meet the needs of people in everyday life and exploit existing technical capability in new ways.

The Ambient Kitchen for example, led by Newcastle University, looks at how technology can assist independent living by focusing on everyday actions within the kitchen environment.

Through the use of electronic sensors, the kitchen is aware of how food and utensils are being used and gives the user information such as how to cook certain foods.

To help convey the message about the wider opportunities for AT solutions and the real non-technical issues that need to be overcome, Cels commissioned a research report about the challenges for AT over the next 20 years.

The report found that if companies are to address the growing need for innovative assistive solutions, they need to focus on design, considering real end-user needs and the service models that will support these new products.

Stuart AF Colmer is a consultant working with Cels Assistive Technology Laboratory