Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Assistive technology products : a position paper from the first global research, innovation, and education on assistive technology (GREAT) summit

Smith, Roger O. ; Scherer, Marcia ; Cooper, Rory ; Bell, Diane ; Hobbs, David A. ; Pettersson, Cecilia ; Seymour, Nicky ; Borg, Johan LU ; Johnson, Michelle J. and Lane, Joseph P. , et al. (2018) In Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology 13(5). p.473-485
Abstract

This paper is based on work from the Global Research, Innovation, and Education on Assistive Technology (GREAT) Summit that was coordinated by WHO’s Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE). The purpose of this paper is to describe the needs and opportunities embedded in the assistive product lifecycle as well as issues relating to the various stages of assistive product mobilization worldwide. The paper discusses assistive technology product terminology and the dangers of focusing on products outside the context and rolling out products without a plan. Additionally, the paper reviews concepts and issues around technology transfer, particularly in relation to meeting global needs and among countries with limited resources.... (More)

This paper is based on work from the Global Research, Innovation, and Education on Assistive Technology (GREAT) Summit that was coordinated by WHO’s Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE). The purpose of this paper is to describe the needs and opportunities embedded in the assistive product lifecycle as well as issues relating to the various stages of assistive product mobilization worldwide. The paper discusses assistive technology product terminology and the dangers of focusing on products outside the context and rolling out products without a plan. Additionally, the paper reviews concepts and issues around technology transfer, particularly in relation to meeting global needs and among countries with limited resources. Several opportunities are highlighted including technology advancement and the world nearing a state of readiness through a developing capacity of nations across the world to successfully adopt and support the assistive technology products and applications. The paper is optimistic about the future of assistive technology products reaching the people that can use it the most and the excitement across large and small nations in increasing their own capacities for implementing assistive technology. This is expressed as hope in future students as they innovate and in modern engineering that will enable assistive technology to pervade all corners of current and potential marketplaces. Importantly, the paper poses numerous topics where discussions are just superficially opened. The hope is that a set of sequels will follow to continue this critical dialog.Implications for RehabilitationSuccessful assistive technology product interventions are complex and include much more than the simple selection of the right product.Assistive technology product use is highly context sensitive in terms of an individual user’s environment.The development of assistive technology products is tricky as it must be contextually sensitive to the development environment and market as well.As a field we have much to study and develop around assistive technology product interventions from a global perspective.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and , et al. (More)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and (Less)
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Assistive technology, global, products, technology transfer, worldwide
in
Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology
volume
13
issue
5
pages
473 - 485
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • pmid:29873268
  • scopus:85048059898
ISSN
1748-3107
DOI
10.1080/17483107.2018.1473895
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
db193d29-fae8-47de-ba75-292369370a2d
date added to LUP
2018-06-19 12:24:37
date last changed
2024-09-17 22:14:43
@article{db193d29-fae8-47de-ba75-292369370a2d,
  abstract     = {{<p>This paper is based on work from the Global Research, Innovation, and Education on Assistive Technology (GREAT) Summit that was coordinated by WHO’s Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE). The purpose of this paper is to describe the needs and opportunities embedded in the assistive product lifecycle as well as issues relating to the various stages of assistive product mobilization worldwide. The paper discusses assistive technology product terminology and the dangers of focusing on products outside the context and rolling out products without a plan. Additionally, the paper reviews concepts and issues around technology transfer, particularly in relation to meeting global needs and among countries with limited resources. Several opportunities are highlighted including technology advancement and the world nearing a state of readiness through a developing capacity of nations across the world to successfully adopt and support the assistive technology products and applications. The paper is optimistic about the future of assistive technology products reaching the people that can use it the most and the excitement across large and small nations in increasing their own capacities for implementing assistive technology. This is expressed as hope in future students as they innovate and in modern engineering that will enable assistive technology to pervade all corners of current and potential marketplaces. Importantly, the paper poses numerous topics where discussions are just superficially opened. The hope is that a set of sequels will follow to continue this critical dialog.Implications for RehabilitationSuccessful assistive technology product interventions are complex and include much more than the simple selection of the right product.Assistive technology product use is highly context sensitive in terms of an individual user’s environment.The development of assistive technology products is tricky as it must be contextually sensitive to the development environment and market as well.As a field we have much to study and develop around assistive technology product interventions from a global perspective.</p>}},
  author       = {{Smith, Roger O. and Scherer, Marcia and Cooper, Rory and Bell, Diane and Hobbs, David A. and Pettersson, Cecilia and Seymour, Nicky and Borg, Johan and Johnson, Michelle J. and Lane, Joseph P. and Srinivasan, S. Sujatha and Rao, PVM and Obiedat, Qussai M. and MacLachlan, Mac and Bauer, Stephen}},
  issn         = {{1748-3107}},
  keywords     = {{Assistive technology; global; products; technology transfer; worldwide}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{473--485}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology}},
  title        = {{Assistive technology products : a position paper from the first global research, innovation, and education on assistive technology (GREAT) summit}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2018.1473895}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/17483107.2018.1473895}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}