Making Advanced Technology useable for Independent Living by Disabled people At Home MATILDAH

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Making Advanced Technology useable for
Independent Living by Disabled people At Home
(MATILDAH)

• Space Place Lecture Series
• Professor Jennifer Harris, Dr Fiona Bolik Dr
  Thilo Kroll
• The Interdisciplinary Disability Research
  Institute (IDRIS)

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Definition of advanced technology

• Advanced technology
• 1. Augmentative aids to communication AAC
• 2. Aids to learning Education AT
• 3. Security provisions EAT
• 4. Alert technology Community alarms
• 5. Monitoring technology telecare
• 6. Medical/ health support technologies
  telemedicine
• 7. Environmental controls SMART homes
• 8. Personal Safety Technology AT support
  (Dewsbury 2006)

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Definition of disabled

• Union of Physically Impaired Against Segregation
  (UPIAS, 1976) describes disability as the
  disadvantage or restriction of activity caused by
  a contemporary social organisation which takes no
  or little account of people who have physical
  impairments and thus excludes them from the
  mainstream of social activities'.
• People between the ages of 18 and 65 who have
  impairments (physical/sensory/learning
  difficulties/ mental health issues)

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Situating disability in Space
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Interdisciplinary conceptual Space
Contested space (user)
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The motivation for the research

• There are about 10 million adults in Britain
  covered by the Disability Discrimination Act
  (1995)
• There are about 6.9 million people of
• working age with a long-term disability
• Most disabled people use some assistive
  technology
• Research in USA shows almost 40 lie unused in
  cupboards
• WHY?

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Possibilities

• The devices are not fit for purpose
• The design process does not involve disabled
  people
• Disabled people are so diverse it is not
  possible to design for all
• Disabled peoples requirements change over time
  but device is static
• Designers, Engineers and prescribers of devices
  are not communicating

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A new starting place

• What helps or stops the devices being useful?
• Which items enable independence and make life
  better?
• What do disabled people actually want technology
  to do?

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Preliminary enquiries

• 3 key points each from exploratory conversations
• - service providers
• - service users
• what about a mobile phone that speaks SMS for
  blind people?

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Topics from conversations with technology
designers and providers

• Safety
• Carer orientation
• Adaptive technology (developing with the service
  user)
• Meeting complex assistance needs (eg physical,
  sensory and cognitive impairments)

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Topics from conversations with service users

• Control over/management of technology
• Support, maintenance and repairs

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Technology, Personal Assistance, Individuality
Skills, ideas Preferences Instructions
Person
Reflective of social environment And physical
support needs
Personal Assistance
Environmental Adaptation
Effective support Environment Balanced
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Example A Day in the life of Richard Devylder

• California Department of Rehabilitation,
  http//www.rehab.cahwnet.gov/rd_video.htm
  (accessed in January 2007)

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Concept map of key points Lessons to be learned
from this experience
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Lessons learned

• Acknowledge creative potential of service users
  and involve in design
• Technology as much as needed but not as much as
  possible
• Self direction and assertiveness important in
  expressing priorities and preferences

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Summary

• Disabled person should be at the centre of the
  design process
• Design for maximum choice and maximum flexibility
  of use (grow with the user)
• Minimise the space between the disciplines (talk!)

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Thanks for coming

• Further information on MATILDAH or IDRIS
• Jennifer Harris
• j.a.z.harris_at_dundee.ac.uk