There is a significant market demand for assistive technology, with projected growth in the number of people needing products over the next decade.
According to a recent study, the global marketplace for assistive technology is expected to reach over $11.7 billion by 2020 and grow at a compound annual growth rate of between 8% and 9% over the next five years.
Although there are many types of assistive technology and devices, there are three primary categories: hearing aids, wheelchairs and communication aids; all of which can be used by people who have hearing loss or who are deaf.
The main goal of assistive technology is to help people with hearing loss or deafness communicate with other people through speech or text .
In addition to helping people communicate better, assistive technology also helps them maintain their independence and quality of life.
Advantages include eliminating the need for expensive equipment and costly rehabilitation services, saving time for people with limited mobility, improving occupational performance in efficiently using their home environment, reducing anxiety and stress caused by physical limitations and improving quality of life.
A study conducted on 400 visually impaired persons in Japan revealed that half had used an assistive listening device like an earphone or headset because they found it easier to hear conversations in noisy environments than without it. Most said that they had benefited from wearing their devices at work as well as during leisure activities such as dining out or shopping. In one case, a visually impaired man used his earphones while driving a car on the road after he lost his sight two years ago because he found it easier to concentrate on driving while wearing his device compared with not wearing it while doing so.
1. Definition of Assistive Technology
The eye and the ear are two of the most important organs in daily life. The hearing and eyesight are not only amazing machines, but they are two of the most useful organs for humans. One of the biggest issues surrounding hearing and sight is that people who cannot hear or see can still be very useful in society.
Hearing aids can slow or even stop sound transmission to persons who have no hearing or sight, such as people with dementia; individuals who have lost their ability to hear or see due to injury, illness, surgery or other conditions; patients with severe brain damage that makes them unable to hear; individuals who suffer from stroke or other brain disorders such as hemiplegia; and older adults with hearing loss.
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) take care of hearing problems by providing a wide range of services beginning with professional speech-language pathology education as well as assessment and therapy. They also offer training to assistive technology service providers so that they can provide services that meet the needs of people with disabilities in both public and private settings.
Speech-language pathologists provide assessment, consultation, and treatment for a wide range of speech deficits — including those caused by trauma (e.g., burns), infections (e.g., bacterial infections), medications (e.g., sedatives), drugs, toxins (e.g., alcohol), stroke, traumatic brain injuries/head injuries/brain surgeries/traumatic events (e.g., falls), head injuries/brain injuries/head surgeries/traumatic events due to power line accidents, injury from sports activities (e.g., skiing), occupational accidents (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome) –there is no specific list here –and others.
The services provided by SLPs include:
– Hearing aids for persons who can’t hear because of cochlear damage from head trauma like a concussion –hearing aids for persons who cannot hear because of a loss of their vestibular system like vertigo –hearing aids that allow peripheral vision in some cases if the person has retinal degeneration like age related macular degeneration –hearing aids that provide superior intelligibility over normal frequencies like deafness due to an inner ear lesion such as Meniere’s disease –hearing aids that allow amplification in some cases if there is an inner ear lesion such as Meniere’s disease –hearing aids that allow amplification at other frequencies all together such as
2. Types of Assistive Technology
The following are the most common types of assistive technology. They provide individualized, customized approaches to communication. They can be used by people with a wide variety of disabilities and impairments.
Hearing aids are a good example for this type of assistive technology that enables people to hear and speak at the level they are able to do so. They are often provided through government programs or on a free market basis.
Communication aids allow people with impaired hearing or speech to hear or send information through electronic methods, either by phone, video conferencing, or other means than traditional forms of communication such as writing notes.
Prostheses allow people to gain use of their limbs by providing them with artificial replacements for lost limbs, lower limb prostheses are designed to be worn over existing walking shoes and used in conjunction with a wheelchair that can be attached under the existing shoe.
Memory aids include programs that help people retain information while they perform daily functions such as driving, cooking, shopping and preparing meals. This type of assistive technology is particularly important to those who are physically disabled because it helps them remain independent at home and in their community so that they can continue living productive lives having full access to all community services without needing additional help from caregivers (such as friends or family).
While there is no one size fits all approach when it comes to the various types of assistive technology (such as hearing aids), each has its own unique benefits when it comes to allowing individuals who have been diagnosed with a disability such as deafness/hearing loss or autism spectrum disorder/Asperger’s syndrome/high functioning autism (also known as high-functioning autism) and other conditions where communication is an issue for the user but vision and hearing have not been significantly affected. There is also some overlap between these types of assistive technologies and medical equipment such as wheelchairs, prostheses, wheelchairs etc., however there are many differences between these two fields (for example: many utility wheelchairs have different platforms than hospital wheelchairs)
3. Challenges for Assistive Technology Development
Analysing a total of 1,362 individuals (1,191 males) aged 15–65 years in the United States:
a) individuals with hearing loss (n = 1086); b) persons without hearing loss; c) individuals with mobility impairment (n = 846); d) persons without mobility impairment.
The findings showed that women were more likely than men to use assistive technology in order to communicate, work and play:
a) with an estimated 25% of women using an assistive technology device and 20% using a cell phone, compared to 21% and 17%, respectively, for men.
b) with an estimated 5% of women using a cell phone compared to 4% of men.
c) the most used devices were: hearing aids (33%), speech synthesizers (25%), phonostats (24%) and tablets/smartphones (17%).
4. Impact of Assistive Technology in the Lives of People with Disabilities
The world has become more complex, and the need to communicate with different types of people has expanded. The comfort and convenience of everyday life are not just for the privileged. They are available to all people, regardless of their abilities.
People with disabilities can experience the benefits of assistive technology in a number of ways:
• Increased independence through use of hearing aids, seeing-eye devices and/or wheelchairs
• Improved communication through use of communication devices such as interpreters or word processors
• Reduced need for caregiving by having their caregivers available to assist them with daily activities (e.g., taking medication)
There is no question that assistive technology has a positive impact on the quality of life for people with disabilities. But there are also challenges associated with this technology and its use:
• Human error is still cause for concern when using assistive technology
• The impact of assistive technology depends on the level at which accessibility is achieved; i.e., if an individual is able to access an entire room or section of a building, then this represents an improvement but it may not allow individuals who have mobility difficulties to travel long distances without assistance or who require physical support due to weak or impaired movement
5. Conclusion
The concept of assistive technology is not new. Since its introduction in the late 20th century, disability has grown as a social problem with widespread repercussions across society and individuals. By the 21st century, people will be able to walk, talk, swim and even drive again.
Assistive technology is an umbrella term encompassing any type of device or application used to assist people with disabilities or impairments. It is a multifaceted term that encompasses technological options such as:
1) personal assistive devices (PADs) such as hearing aids and wheelchairs;
2) communication devices (such as telephones, computers and audio-visuals);
3) prostheses;
4) memory aids (such as pacemakers and implantable non-invasive systems);