Types Of Assistive Technology Research Articles

Reducing the Burdens of Paid Caregivers of Older Adults by Using Assistive Technology: A Scoping Review.

Paid caregivers are needed to support older adults, but caregiver burden contributes to high turnover rates. Assistive technologies help perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and can reduce caregiver burden, but little is known about how they impact paid caregivers. This scoping review provides an overview of evidence on using assistive technology to reduce burdens on paid caregivers working with older adults. The review was conducted from May to August 2022. The eligibility criteria included: (1) publication within 5 years in peer-reviewed journals, (2) investigation of assistive technology, (3) main participants include paid caregivers supporting older adults, and (4) describing impacts on caregiver burden. Searches were conducted in 6 databases, generating 702 articles. The charted data included (1) country of study, (2) participant care roles, (3) study design, (4) main outcomes, and (5) types of assistive technology. Numerical description and qualitative content analysis of themes were used. Fifteen articles reporting on studies in 9 countries were retained for analysis. Studies used a variety of quantitative (8/15), qualitative (5/15), and mixed (2/15) methods. Technologies studied included grab bars and handrails, bidet seats, bed transfer devices, sensor and monitoring systems, social communication systems, and companion robots. Articles identified benefits for reducing stress and workload, while paid caregivers described both positive and negative impacts. Literature describing the impact of assistive technology on paid caregivers who work with older adults is limited and uses varied methodologies. Additional research is needed to enable rigorous evaluation of specific technologies and impacts on worker turnover.

Literacy of children with Down Syndrome supported by a digital game

The literacy process is challenging and when it comes to literacy for people with some type of disability, this process requires special attention. For people with Down Syndrome (DS), it is necessary to adapt the process and use appropriate tools and methodologies to ensure learning. This work developed a digital game for mobile devices, aiming to help the literacy process of children with DS and based on bibliographical research on the problems and limitations in learning for this public and on the investigation of how and what types of assistive technologies have helped in this process. The game was developed on the Construct3 platform (free version), the design and modeling were carried out (with UML) and the software requirements were identified, as well as the mechanics of the game and activities. For validation, a field survey was carried out with education professionals whose data were collected through questionnaires, after the experience of using the game. The game was considered a relevant contribution to the literacy of children with DS, due to the characteristics and activities present being aligned with this profile.

Electronic assistive technology use and supported employment.

Level of electronic assistive technology use by people with intellectual disabilities is lower than for other disability groups. In this mixed-methods exploratory study during the pandemic, staff (online survey) and executive administration (focus group) from a regional supported employment service provider in the Midwest US were surveyed about use of and barriers to use of electronic assistive technology for their clients with intellectual disabilities. Forty percent of staff reported 'not' using any of the assistive technologies with their clients. Executive administration perceived that they should be providing technology resources to clients and staff. Both groups rated expense, access, and complexity as barriers to assistive technology use at the client's worksite. Identifying the types of assistive technologies that can be most easily accessed and most cost-effective, including lower-cost consumer market devices, as employment supports for people with intellectual disabilities may be a first step in helping to overcome perceived barriers to use.

Assistive technology for diabetes management: a toolkit

This article provides an up-to-date guide to the types of assistive technology designed for patients with diabetes.

Utility and Professional Attitudes toward Assistive Technology in UAE Special Needs Centers

The attitude of teachers about the use of technology is critical. As a result, when teachers have a constructive outlook toward a new type of assistive technology, they are more likely to make meaningful efforts to successfully integrate it into the teaching-learning process. The way assistive technology is used in the teaching and learning environment is heavily influenced by a special education teacher’s attitude. Therefore, the study explored the availability of assistive technology and explored the attitudes of professional of special education towards the use of assistive technologies in special needs centers of United Arab Emirates (UAE). Questionnaires were distributed and 100 responses were received from special education professionals. No statistically significant differences were observed in the attitudes of special education teachers and therapists with respect to their experiences, profession, gender, academic qualification, or locality. Assistive technologies were mostly used in different areas of special education including computer access, spelling, learning, recreation, environmental control, vision and hearing, writing, communication, mathematics, mobility, and positioning and seating. There is a constructive impact on the learning process of the children with special needs considering the expertise of specialist teachers and therapists on assistive technology linked to positive educational outcomes of students with special needs.

Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Control of a Virtual Assistant in a Smartphone to Manage Messaging Applications.

Brain–computer interfaces (BCI) are a type of assistive technology that uses the brain signals of users to establish a communication and control channel between them and an external device. BCI systems may be a suitable tool to restore communication skills in severely motor-disabled patients, as BCI do not rely on muscular control. The loss of communication is one of the most negative consequences reported by such patients. This paper presents a BCI system focused on the control of four mainstream messaging applications running in a smartphone: WhatsApp, Telegram, e-mail and short message service (SMS). The control of the BCI is achieved through the well-known visual P300 row-column paradigm (RCP), allowing the user to select control commands as well as spelling characters. For the control of the smartphone, the system sends synthesized voice commands that are interpreted by a virtual assistant running in the smartphone. Four tasks related to the four mentioned messaging services were tested with 15 healthy volunteers, most of whom were able to accomplish the tasks, which included sending free text e-mails to an address proposed by the subjects themselves. The online performance results obtained, as well as the results of subjective questionnaires, support the viability of the proposed system.

How Loan Bank of Assistive Technology Impacts on Life of Persons with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Neuromuscular Diseases: A Collaborative Initiative.

(1) Background: The study is focused on the implementation of outcome measurement tools to assess the impact of an assistive device from a loan bank in the lives of people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Neuromuscular Diseases. The secondary purpose is to analyse the correct matching between the person and technology, derived from the counselling of an occupational therapist. (2) Methods: Cross-sectional study. The sample was formed by 28 people with rare neurodegenerative disorders. A specific questionnaire, the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Device Scale (PIADS), and the Matching Person and Technology (MPT) tool were applied to collect the data. (3) Results: The dimension of the PIADS with the best score was competence, and the variations according to gender were not remarkable. The three dimensions of the PIADS (competence, adaptability, and self-esteem) were correlated positively between them and with the mean score of the MPT tool (p < 0.01). The type of assistive technology (AT), diagnosis, and correct match between person–technology are the main factors that condition a positive impact. (4) Conclusions: The results noted the importance of assessing the needs, demands, and contexts of people with rare neurodegenerative diseases to prescribe the best AT. Loan banks of AT have to be considered a valid service that complements their lack in public health services.

Tecnologia Assistiva e Inclusão: um olhar para a prática docente junto aos alunos com deficiência intelectual

Este artigo objetivou identificar quais são os tipos de Tecnologia Assistiva utilizadas para auxiliar a aprendizagem dos alunos com Deficiência Intelectual nas escolas. Para tanto, foi desenvolvida uma investigação com a abordagem qualitativa e descritiva que utilizou o questionário como técnica de pesquisa. Os sujeitos de pesquisa foram 31 professores alunos do Programa Lato sensu de Pós-Graduação em Docência, do Instituto Federal Minas Gerais (IFMG) Campus Arcos. Constatou-se que as Tecnologia Assistiva mais utilizadas na prática docente com os alunos com Deficiência Intelectual são as ligadas a Tecnologias da informação e comunicação com a utilização de computadores e instrumentos eletrônicos. Porém, percebe-se ainda que os professores têm pouco conhecimento sobre as Tecnologia Assistiva, apresentando dificuldades em relação à falta de informação de como utiliza-la em seu dia a dia, dificuldade em selecionar em que situações de aprendizagem a Tecnologia Assistiva pode ser utilizada. E eles ainda apontam a falta de recursos ou insuficiência destes na escola como um dificultador ao trabalho. Conclui-se a necessidade de implementar uma formação continuada para os professores acerca desta temática, para que eles possam fazer um trabalho efetivo com os alunos com Deficiência Intelectual, buscando a inclusão.

Can connected technologies improve sleep quality and safety of older adults and care-givers? An evaluation study of sleep monitors and communicative robots at a residential care home in Japan

A sheet-shaped body vibrometer (SBV) is a type of assistive technology which offers a constant and noninvasive method of recording and monitoring the physical condition and sleep patterns of care recipients. With the aim of creating a safer environment for both care recipients and caregivers, we connected the SBV to a communicative robot (com-robot), to function as an integrated system. The robot has a sensor which activates when a care recipient tries to stand up, whereupon it sends an alert to care staff and speaks to the care recipient. The combined technologies offer an enhanced sense of security, as they watch over older people during the night, visualise sleep patterns and alert care staff. As proof of concept, this study examines the usefulness of this connected system by testing its effectiveness among two types of users (care recipients and professionals) in a residential care home in Japan. For the former, sleep parameters were investigated to see if there was any change over time in and impact on an older person's quality of life. As a measurement of quality of life, the interRAI method was used as a comprehensive assessment tool, based on which a care plan was also created for each care recipient. The interRAI is a nursing care evaluation and nursing care plan creation guideline package that provides unbroken care that can be used at home, in facilities or in the community For the latter, the study tests the level of fatigue among care professionals during night shifts before and after the intervention. For triangulation of data, semi-structured interviews and usability tests were carried out. Despite a few points for improvement, the results highlight multiple benefits for care recipients and professionals of using the SBV and com-robot integrated system in a residential care home.

An exploratory study of web adaptation techniques for people with low vision

People with low vision may experience accessibility barriers when they interact with the web. The navigation strategies of low-vision users are explored in this article in order to select the appropriate accessibility techniques needed to design web interfaces for their benefit. First, a literature study and an observational study involving low-vision users were carried out. From these studies, a set of adaptation techniques were obtained, which were then evaluated by means of an exploratory study with the participation of twelve users with low vision. The results show that the advantages of some adaptation techniques varied depending on the type of assistive technology used by participants to access the web. Some of the applied adaptation techniques seem turned out to be helpful only for users who utilized screen magnifier software, but not for those using the browser zoom feature. New research hypotheses for a future experimental study have been obtained based on the results of the study presented in this article.

Assisted Technology for Cognitive Comprehension in the Differently Abled

This paper is a preliminary study on what Assisted Technology (AT) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) are and the kinds of disabilities in learners. It examines what Assisted Technology Tools (ATT) / Softwares are and how they can help in cognitive comprehension in differently abled individuals/learners. It presents the types of Assistive Technology, its benefits and provides an overview of the opportunities offered by the internet and ICT (Information and Communication Technology) for the active and wholesome participation of persons with disabilities, in the learning process. Terms and keywords related to the topic have been explained in the course of the article. In addition, the paper provides a list of the Assisted Technology Tools, Softwares and Systems which give learners an opportunity to choose a relevant and user friendly tool. The new technologies highlight the benefit and opportunities that learners with disability can avail as other learners—turning yesterday’s disabled students into today’s enabled students.

A Computer Mouse Using Blowing Sensors Intended for People with Disabilities.

The computer is an important medium that allows people to connect to the internet. However, people with disabilities are unable to use a computer mouse and thus cannot enjoy internet benefits. Nowadays, there are various types of assistive technologies for controlling a computer mouse, but they all have some operational inconveniences. In this paper, we propose an innovative blowing-controlled mouse assistive tool to replace the conventional hand-controlled mouse. Its main contribution is that it uses microphones to induce small signals through the principle of airflow vibration, and it then converts the received signal into the corresponding pulse width. The co-design of software programming enables various mouse functions to be implemented by the identification of the blowing pulse width of multiple microphones. The proposed tool is evaluated experimentally, and the experimental results show that the average identification rate of the proposed mouse is over 85%. Additionally, compared with the other mouse assistive tools, the proposed mouse has the benefits of low cost and humanized operation. Therefore, the proposed blowing control method can not only improve the life quality of people with disabilities but also overcome the disadvantages of existing assistive tools.

Technology and social media use by adult patients with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities

BackgroundTechnology and social media offer individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) unique and innovative ways to facilitate active participation in their own healthcare process. What remains unclear is the extent to which devices are currently used by this growing patient population. ObjectiveTo explore the prevalence of technology and social media use, as well as the possible barriers, among adult patients with I/DD. MethodsA cross-sectional study utilizing an anonymous, accessible survey was used to obtain data from all adult patients (18 + years of age) with I/DD presenting for primary care services at a healthcare facility in New York between September and December of 2016. ResultsA total of 370 individuals completed the survey (529 approached, 69.9% response rate). Less than half (44.6%) of respondents used devices such as a tablet, smartphone or desktop; most (86.8%) did not use social media. Only 21.6% of respondents indicated that they use some type of assistive technology. While some respondents (46.0%) were identified by their caregivers as having a disability that would prevent them from learning/using technology, other respondents reported having no challenges (18.0%), needing training and/or ongoing support (7.4%), or being uncertain as to whether they would experience any challenges (15.5%). ConclusionsMany adult patients with I/DD do not use technology and social media that could promote self-determination and participation in their healthcare. Continued efforts must be made to promote technology use among adults with I/DD and to ensure that appropriate training is available for both the individual and his/her caregivers to achieve adoption and utilization.

Informal carers\u2019 experience of assistive technology use in dementia care at home: a systematic review

BackgroundDementia is a health and care priority globally. Caring for persons with dementia is a challenge and can lead to negative psychological, physiological and financial consequences for informal carers. Advances in technology have the potential to assist persons with dementia and their carers, through assistive technology devices such as electronic medication dispensers, robotic devices trackers and motion detectors. However, little is known about carers’ experience and the impact of these technologies on them. This review aims to investigate the outcomes and experience of carers of persons with dementia, who live at home and use assistive technology.MethodsA systematic search in seven databases and manual searches were carried out using pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria to identify studies on carers of persons with dementia involving the use of assistive technology. The search identified 56 publications with quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method designs.ResultsThe studies reported positive and negative findings and focused on a wide variety of assistive technology devices. There were large differences in the uses of assistive technology, outcome measures used and the quality of studies. Knowledge and acceptance, competence to use and ethical issues when using assistive technology were themes that emerged from the studies. Carers generally appreciated using assistive technology and their experience of use varied.ConclusionsThe intention of this systematic review is to list and classify the various types of assistive technology used by carers of persons with dementia and explores the positive and negative aspects, knowledge, acceptance and ethical issues in the use of assistive technology by carers of persons with dementia. We recommend the use of a standard and person-centred system of classifying and naming assistive technology devices and systems and for future research efforts in assistive technology to incorporate a family/carer centred model.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO - CRD42017082268.

Scoping Study on Access to Copyright Protected Works by Persons With Disabilities

Many copyrighted works exist in formats inaccessible to individuals with disabilities. This inaccessibility is problematic, as many countries have passed laws that support equal societal participation for individuals with disabilities. Access to copyrighted content for individuals with disabilities generally requires some type of assistive technology that transforms some or all of the content of the work from one medium to another. However, these transformations can implicate the exclusive rights granted to copyright and related rights holders. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and at the University of Colorado Law School’s Samuelson-Glushko Technology Law and Policy Clinic. Researchers augmented the previous scoping study, which involved questionnaires sent to and submitted by member states, with independent research that reviewed and analyzed the copyright regimes of member states and disability provisions within those regimes. Among other findings, this study discovered that more than half of all member states have some sort of exception for disabilities written into their copyright laws, and that of those members, a third of them provide exceptions for all disabilities.

Brain-Controlled Adaptive Lower Limb Exoskeleton for Rehabilitation of Post-Stroke Paralyzed

Stroke is a standout amongst the most imperative reasons of incapacity on the planet. Due to partial or full paralysis, the majority of patients are compelled to rely upon parental figures and caregivers in residual life. With post-stroke rehabilitation, different types of assistive technologies have been proposed to offer developments to the influenced body parts of the incapacitated. In a large portion of these devices, the clients neither have control over the tasks nor can get feedback concerning the status of the exoskeleton. Additionally, there is no arrangement to detect user movements or accidental fall. The proposed framework tackles these issues utilizing a brain-controlled lower limb exoskeleton (BCLLE) in which the exoskeleton movements are controlled based on user intentions. An adaptive mechanism based on sensory feedback is integrated to reduce the system false rate. The BCLLE uses a flexible design which can be customized according to the degree of disability. The exoskeleton is modeled according to the human body anatomy, which makes it a perfect fit for the affected body part. The BCLLE system also automatically identifies the status of the paralyzed person and transmits information securely using Novel-T Symmetric Encryption Algorithm (NTSA) to caregivers in case of emergencies. The exoskeleton is fitted with motors which are controlled by the brain waves of the user with an electroencephalogram (EEG) headset. The EEG headset captures the human intentions based on the signals acquired from the brain. The brain-computer interface converts these signals into digital data and is interfaced with the motors via a microcontroller. The microcontroller controls the high torque motors connected to the exoskeleton's joints based on user intentions. Classification accuracy of more than 80% is obtained with our proposed method which is much higher compared with all existing solutions.

Dementia Care Frameworks and Assistive Technologies for Their Implementation: A Review

In this review, we focus on the various integrated care models that have been applied for the management of dementia patients. We explore the different types of assistive technologies (mobile, wearable, and home-based systems) for dementia care, with a special emphasis on technologies that involve or target the informal caregiver as end user. In an attempt to reveal the needs for information sharing, communication, and collaboration between people with dementia and caregivers involved in the effective and integrated management of the disease, we analyze the trends in research and development to date, we seek to understand and reflect upon the state of the art in assistive technologies for dementia, and we highlight domains that appear underexplored, in order to guide future research. We also explore the cost effectiveness of such technologies and integrated care models for the management of dementia patients and comment on current limitations and future trends and directions. Findings indicate the urgent need and the current lack of a comprehensive and cost-effective solution that will incorporate information system technologies for the provision of integrated care services to dementia patients and their informal caregivers.

Assessment of Disability Services Information Variability Among Websites of One University System

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study is to examine Internet-based disability services information within the City University of New York (CUNY). The evaluation included exploring the CUNY university system disability services websites for information availability, language and nomenclature presence, ease of access, range of services, types of assistive technologies, and other resources. The study revealed great variability of Internet-based disability services information among the CUNY system, especially between undergraduate and graduate schools. Some institutions provided a variety of in-depth disability services information, while several provided only very basic, minimalistic bits of information. Names regarding the disability services offices also varied significantly throughout CUNY.

Assistive technology for communication of older adults: a systematic review

ABSTRACTObjective: Describe the use of assistive technology to enhance communication opportunities for older adults.Methods: A systematic review was conducted in two databases, PubMed and Web of Science, by using two different searches in each. The search was limited to original articles, in English language, including people aged 60 years and older that used any type of assistive technology for communication. The articles found in the initial search were filtered by title, abstracts and the remaining articles were fully read.Results: Eighteen studies were included in this review after the reading of full-texts. Most of the studies included apparently healthy participants with communication limitations due to aging related changes and the others included people with some pathology that prevent them from normal communication.Conclusion: Four categories of assistive technology were identified: assistive technology for people with speech problems; robot or videoconferencing systems; Information and Communication Technologies and, other types of assistive technology for communication, such as hearing aids and scrapbooks. Assistive technology for communication of older adults is not only used by people with disabilities that prevent them from usual communication. They are mostly for older adults without a pathological communication problem.

Access to Information for Learning by Using Assistive Technology for Undergraduate Students with Disabilities in Northern Thailand

The purpose of this study was to survey access to information for learning on the types of assistive technology used by undergraduate students with disabilities in Northern Thailand. The types of assistive technology in this study included assistive devices and educational services. Data were collected from a questionnaire developed as a rating scale checklist that was completed by 140 undergraduate students with disabilities. Results of this study found that all types of educational services provided more to undergraduate students with disabilities than almost all kinds of assistive technology. Additionally, the students utilized assistive devices and accessed educational services for different reasons, and most students with visual disabilities were given either assistive devices or educational services. In terms of use, results found that students with hearing disabilities used assistive technology the most, whereas findings concerning needs showed that all of the students with disabilities demanded almost all types of assistive technology.