Assistive technologies for people with disabilities : Part II: Current and emerging technologies

This report focuses on Assistive Technology (AT) for three specific conditions of disability: 1) blindness and visual impairment; 2) deafness and auditory impairment; 3) autism spectrum disorders (ASD). These three groups of disability affect different body organs and functions, and have very different impacts on human activities and social participation. Yet, they have also two important features in common: 1) they all affect (also) the sensory system, and 2) they are not (always) immediately apparent. We have carried out a comprehensive inventory and analysis of ATs for these three groups of disability. The main outcomes of our research are: 1) ATs for blindness and visual impairment far outnumber other ATs. 2) The traditional dichotomy between low- and high-tech holds. Yet, it is evident that there is a vast area of medium-tech devices. Interestingly, technologies in this area tend to differ very little from mainstream technology. In the longer term, one could even imagine that the distinction between non-assistive and assistive technology will fade away. 3) Most ATs aim at restoring the autonomy of disabled persons. The trend towards autonomy can have an important impact upon human rights. Yet, there is also a risk that risk that autonomy could turn into isolation and social indifference. 4) There is an increasing trend towards convergence between AT and prosthetics. The border between AT and augmentation technology risks becomes blurred, posing a myriad of legal, ethical and social issues.