A review of innovation strategies and processes to improve access to AT: Looking ahead to open innovation ecosystems

Catherine Holloway,Ikenna D Ebuenyi,Srinivasan Sujatha,Joanne Mcveigh,Dafne Zuleima Morgado Ramírez ,Rainer Kattel,Fiona Meeks,Felipe Ramos-Barajas,Priya Morjaria,P Venkateswara Rao ,Jessica Massie,Soikat Ghosh Moulic,Kyle Keane,Malcolm Maclachlan,George E Torrens ,Victoria Austin,Giulia Barbareschi,Tigmanshu Bhatnagar,Ben Oldfrey,Cheryl Metcalf

doi:10.1080/10400435.2021.1970653

Abstract

ABSTRACT It is essential to understand the strategies and processes which are deployed currently across the Assistive Technology (AT) space toward measuring innovation. The main aim of this paper is to identify functional innovation strategies and processes which are being or can be deployed in the AT space to increase access to AT globally. We conducted a scoping review of innovation strategies and processes in peer-reviewed literature databases and complemented this by identifying case studies demonstrating innovation strategies. The review includes WHO world region, publication year, AT type and a sector analysis against the Systems-Market for Assistive and Related Technologies Framework. We analyzed the case studies and interviews using thematic analysis. We included 91 papers out of 3,127 after review along with 72 case studies. Our results showed that product innovations were more prevalent than provision or supply innovations across papers and case studies. Case studies yielded two themes: open innovation (OI); radical and disruptive innovation. Financial instruments which encourage OI are needed and we recommend pursuing OI for AT innovation. Embedding AT within larger societal missions will be key to success governments and investors need to understand what AT is and their translational socioeconomic value.

Highlights

Assistive technology (AT) is the umbrella term for the combi nation of assistive products (APs) and the services needed to ensure safe assessment, distribution and use of APs
APs form a coherent group of products, as has been demonstrated through the recent product narratives for wheel chairs (AT2030 & ATscale, 2019), Prosthetics (AT2030 & ATscale, 2020), Digital (AT2030 & ATscale, 2020), eyeglasses (AT2030 & ATscale, 2020) and hearing aids (AT2030 & ATscale, 2019) market dynamics can be different across differ ent categories of products, and individual markets might fea ture unique barriers and opportunities that affect their ability to thrive
The total number of papers relevant to AT innovation strategies has been increasing over time (See Figure 4) rising from 2 in 2010 to 16 in 2019

Summary

Introduction

Assistive technology (AT) is the umbrella term for the combi nation of assistive products (APs) and the services needed to ensure safe assessment, distribution and use of APs. Despite the cross-cutting nature of APs, they are predomi nantly understood (both in academic and policy discussions) from health and social perspectives From these perspectives, APs form a coherent group of products, as has been demonstrated through the recent product narratives for wheel chairs (AT2030 & ATscale, 2019), Prosthetics (AT2030 & ATscale, 2020), Digital (AT2030 & ATscale, 2020), eyeglasses (AT2030 & ATscale, 2020) and hearing aids (AT2030 & ATscale, 2019) market dynamics can be different across differ ent categories of products, and individual markets might fea ture unique barriers and opportunities that affect their ability to thrive. A recently trialed example is the InnovATe wheelchair by Motivation, which leverages digital manufacturing technology to enable local providers to produce bespoke wheelchairs of consistent quality locally, using avail able materials and components (Barbareschi et al, 2020) The core of this technology uses parametric computer assisted design (CAD) model that can be modified according to the measurements, the user’s environment and their preferences (Barbareschi et al, 2020).

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