Latest news with #assistiveTechnology
The National
2 days ago
- Health
- The National
From beauty to gaming: How smart tech is quietly transforming accessibility
More than 1.3 billion people globally – about 16 per cent of the world's population – live with some form of disability, according to the World Health Organisation. That includes a broad range of physical, sensory, cognitive and age-related conditions. Among them, millions live with limited mobility or fine motor challenges, impairments that can make routine tasks like styling hair, applying make-up, or playing video games significantly more difficult. Innovative consumer technology is now helping people with disabilities gain more independence, confidence and control, often without being explicitly marketed as assistive. Tools from Dyson, L'Oréal, and Microsoft are leading a shift towards inclusive design, proving that innovation for the mainstream can also empower those at the margins. 'It's not about whether I can do something – it's about whether a product allows me to do it efficiently, independently and with the same experience as everyone else,' Jessica Smith, a disability advocate born without a left forearm, tells The National. An empowering styling tool Ms Smith has been using the new Dyson Airwrap i.d., a hair styling tool that uses sensors, airflow control and app-based settings to simplify the process of curling and drying hair. She says it's one of the few beauty tools that feels like it was made with people like her in mind. 'The ability to style hair with one hand more seamlessly is a game-changer,' she adds. 'It's exciting to see how it can support my routine.' According to Dyson, the product's accessibility benefits weren't part of the original design brief but emerged organically through efforts to make styling easier for all users. 'The brief was always to make styling and curling hair more convenient and easier for everyone, not necessarily catering to users with disabilities,' Low Chen Nyeow, associate design manager at Dyson Beauty, tells The National. The Airwrap i.d. connects to an app that automates different steps in the styling process, which is helpful for people with limited mobility. 'It removes the need for them to continually press the power button during the styling process as well as hold the cool shot button down,' Ms Nyeow said. In addition, the device's self-wrapping barrels and personalised presets cut manual efforts by users. 'Hair gets wrapped automatically, even without the user feeding a hair tress to the barrel,' she added. 'The personalised curling sequence simplifies usage and allows users to tailor their styling experience without needing to hold multiple buttons down.' Ms Smith said she hopes more companies follow Dyson's example, even if inclusivity isn't their starting point. 'Inclusion should be the standard, not an afterthought,' she says. 'Beauty and personal care are a huge part of people's confidence and self-expression, but for too long, brands have overlooked the needs of disabled consumers. That's how innovation truly meets our needs.' At Dyson, accessibility remains a vital area of continuing research. 'Although we do not have immediate plans to integrate voice or gesture controls into beauty tools, our research teams are investigating how emerging technologies could be incorporated in the future,' Ms Nyeow says. Growing market with untapped potential Assistive technology is a rapidly growing sector focused on enhancing the quality of life for people with disabilities or age-related limitations. It includes products, devices, and software that support users in performing everyday tasks, from communication and mobility to personal care and digital access. The global assistive technology market is projected to reach $41 billion by 2033, from $26.8 billion in 2024, according to market research company Imarc Group. Much of this growth comes from specialised companies focused on health care, mobility, and communication. For example, Sweden's Tobii Dynavox Global develops eye-tracking and speech-generating devices for people with neurological conditions. The US company Ekso Bionics develops wearable exoskeletons that enable individuals with paralysis or mobility impairments to walk again. Aira Technologies is another innovator, offering real-time visual assistance through smart glasses for people who are blind or visually impaired. Mainstream brands like Dyson, L'Oréal, and Microsoft are contributing to the space. Their consumer-first innovations, while not always designed with disability in mind, are proving to be inclusive by default, showing that accessible design can have the most significant impact when it's built for everyone. Innovative make up L'Oréal's HAPTA, an innovative lipstick applicator for people with limited hand or arm mobility, is an example. With its launch in January 2023 at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, L'Oréal put inclusive design at the centre of innovation. The device uses sensors and gyroscopic technology to stabilise motion, helping users apply make-up without requiring a full range of movement. According to a company statement, HAPTA was developed to meet the needs of an estimated 50 million people worldwide who live with limited motor skills. This condition can make daily tasks, such as applying make-up, especially difficult. The hand-held applicator incorporates technology initially developed by Verily to stabilise utensils for people with mobility impairments, now adapted to beauty routines. 'Inclusivity is at the heart of our innovation and beauty tech strategy,' Barbara Lavernos, the company's deputy chief executive in charge of research, innovation, and technology said in a statement at the launch. HAPTA features customisable attachments and built-in smart motion controls to increase range of motion and ease of use. It features a magnetic rotating head that provides 360 degrees of rotation and 180 degrees of flexion, enabling users to save preferred positions for future use. 'With HAPTA, we are going one step further by making beauty more accessible to use because everyone should have equal access to it,' Françoise Lehmann, Lancôme global brand president, said at the time. Gaming for all In the gaming world, Microsoft's Xbox Adaptive Controller has become a leading example of how mainstream tech can deliver powerful accessibility. Designed for players with limited mobility, the device features oversized buttons and multiple input ports that connect to custom accessories, including foot pedals, switches, and sip-and-puff systems. These features enable users to personalise their gaming experience according to their physical needs. 'The goal of the Xbox Adaptive Controller is to remove that barrier. We strive to make Xbox the most accessible gaming platform on the market,' Microsoft said in its fact sheet on the device. 'The Xbox Adaptive Controller provides a much-needed, simple, and affordable solution for gamers with limited mobility.'
Times
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- Times
The new guide dog training: e-bikes, phone zombies, busy cities
Nothing upsets Laurie. With 'pavement zombies' marching towards him obliviously while tapping at their phones, with ambulance and police sirens screaming in his ears, and a speeding-but-silent e-scooter flashing across his path at 25mph, he pads safely and calmly through the chaos. Still, at least there are no robots to worry about today. Laurie is a 20-month-old labrador-golden retriever cross with a look in his eyes that could melt your heart. He's also a professional, with a job to do. He is nearing the end of his six-month training to be a guide dog, an intense process and one which has had to change a lot in the past decade, as Britain's roads and pavements have been transformed by new technology and evolving attitudes. 'We've had to adapt fast,' said Karen Brady, 35, a training and behaviour manager at the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, known as Guide Dogs, which launched in the 1930s. Their animals are now taught to cope with a host of new hazards — and delivery robots are one of the most recent. 'We've had a lot of fun with those in Cambridge,' she said. Introduced in the area in 2022, the automated vehicles trundle along the pavement and simply stop when they detect a pedestrian. Guide dogs were initially baffled, and stopped too. 'We had to teach them to treat the robot like a car that's parked on a pavement, and find a way around it,' she said. 'The makers gave us a shell to practise with.' Other innovations are much more widespread — and potentially dangerous. 'Electric vehicles are a big thing, because the dog owner can't hear them,' said Brady. 'E-scooters fly up past the dogs really quickly, really quietly. We've hired them sometimes and rode them around to get the dogs used to them.' • How Terry the guide dog puppy was bred for perfection Owners and their dogs work as a partnership, and with the human unable to perceive an almost-silent car, bicycle or scooter, the dog must be extra vigilant. The human is in charge, but the watchful dogs are trained not to move across a road if they see a danger. There are plenty more new hazards. 'Cars have got bigger, and often park on pavements — we've taught the dogs to do a lot more work, often having to go on roads so the owner can get through the space. You get e-bikes and scooters littered all over the pavement now too, which is another big thing to find a way around. Then there are mobility scooters: we get them used to those as puppies. 'And of course there are people staring at their mobile phones, not looking where they're going. We do indoor exercises in our training centre to get the dog used to them. Outside, Oxford Street is a good place to practise.' Modern life impinges in ways that the sighted might not consider. Glass lifts, increasingly common in shopping centres, can confuse dogs trained to avoid height hazards. 'Just seeing that the floor beneath them is moving up and down can be worrying for the dog,' said Brady. Shared spaces, where cycle and scooter paths are integrated with pedestrian pavements, present issues too. 'We have to familiarise the dogs with new schemes — cycle lanes, floating bus stops and so on,' said Laurie's sighted handler today, specialist trainer Wayne Townley. 'You have this real grey line of where traffic sits.' Some distractions are more traditional. This year, Guide Dogs ran a training session at Ascot to ensure the animals would not be unnerved by enormous, garish hats and fascinators. The charity said many are scared and confused by oversized headgear, which can make a familiar person look strange. London dogs have always had to get used to the Tube. Shallower lines such as the Hammersmith & City are easiest to cope with: only those with the strongest nerve can endure the high-decibel screeching of the deep Northern and Victoria lines. Laurie has taken it all on board, and is a model of calm purpose as he guides Townley, 58, through the pandemonium of London's West End. He effortlessly tacks around an approaching phone zombie, is unfazed by deafening sirens and traffic, and ignores a tempting discarded kebab. 'They're a lot more common than they used to be — it's littered with them round here on Saturday morning — but the dog must know it can only eat food when it's given to them,' said Brady. 'We call it food manners.' She said most of the public are kind and considerate around guide dogs, but often do not notice that one is near them. 'People are involved in their own worlds, expected to do emails on the way to work. The modern world is such that people are looking down a lot of the time.' There are about 3,000 working guide dogs, mainly labradors, golden retrievers or crosses of the two, which are purpose-bred. It costs £38,000 to train each dog, all of which comes from donations. Their training begins when they are 14 months old. Most will then stay with one owner until about ten years old, when they retire to a volunteer's home to become a family pet. Laurie will soon be matched with a visually impaired person on the Guide Dogs shortlist, which could be anywhere in the country: there is then another five weeks of training specialised to their needs. 'Sight loss has no regard for background,' said Townley, who has been training dogs for 36 years. 'We've had to familiarise them with visits to a church, or mosque, even to Emirates stadium for Arsenal games. A businesswoman user had to fly a lot, so we did trips through the airport and a couple of flights. Every owner, and every dog, is different. 'But I've been doing it for 36 years and it's still a privilege. You see the change it makes to people's lives, the freedom, the confidence. It's humbling.' To donate to Guide Dogs, go to
CBS News
21-06-2025
- Health
- CBS News
First-of-its-kind "smart living home" opens in Washington County
A first-of-its-kind smart living home has opened its doors in Washington County, offering assistive technology to help people with disabilities live independently. The home in Canonsburg opened in May, offering tours and hands-on experiences to families and individuals to see what they could install in their own homes. "So, what we try to do is invite people here so that we can sit with them, understand their goals, and what's more, you know what's most important to them, and help them to find the technology that works for them," Craig Douglass said, the chief administrative officer of Arc Human Services. Arc Human Services is a nonprofit that is dedicated to improving and supporting people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and mental illness. "We think this will really help them. It will help them become more independent. It will help them to be able to stay in their home longer and will help keep them safe in their home and the community," Edward Picchiarini said, the CEO of Arc Human Services. The smart home appears to be any other home, but it contains numerous smart technologies to help individuals live independently. "One of the things we have in the house is a panic button. We call it our 'stranger danger' button," Douglass said. The button can be installed in each room of a home for assistance, like if someone unexpected shows up at the front door. "We tell them that they can hit this red button," Douglass said. Once the button is activated, Amazon's Alexa virtual assistant technology will begin talking and giving instructions. "They'll get a verbal prompt that says, 'Don't open the door,'" Douglass said. The front door will also automatically lock. "Then we'll get a call from a caregiver that will help provide support to that individual," Douglass said. Other options include sensors to detect when a person gets in and out of bed to either turn the lights on or off. Douglass said that in the smart home, a pathway of lights from the bedroom to the bathroom is set up to show what options are available based on an individual's needs. "This is designed to help somebody who maybe gets up in the middle of the night and they have to go to the bathroom. This is a way for us to couple, again, visual prompts to help them navigate to the toilet safely," Douglass said. Each room in the home also has a sensor to ensure safety and support. "It has an AI feature built in that learns what people are doing and is expected," Douglass said. "So, if, like, somebody was, you know, hadn't been up for two hours, and we usually see them up at eight o'clock in the morning, a caregiver will get an alert to let them know something's up." The wide range of technology can also assist in the kitchen. "One of the things we have is a smart microwave. For example, a person with autism may struggle with buttons. So instead of putting a meal in for three minutes, they might accidentally hit an extra zero, and that can be a fire hazard," Douglass said. "So this is tied with an Amazon device, and you can announce to Alexa to turn the microwave on, and it'll set the timer for you automatically." Douglass said you can also ask Alexa to assist in making macaroni and cheese. "Get your pot out of the cabinet beside the stove. The light on the cabinet should be changing colors," Alexa could be heard saying. "Fill the pot with six cups of water. The measuring cup is in the cabinet to the right of the stove. The light where it is located should be changing color." "Alexa will walk them through this routine of making macaroni and cheese," Douglass said. Picchiarini said the technology can be personalized for individual needs to support independence. "Right now, people may have staff with them 24 hours a day, and if they're able to even have a few hours on their own or short periods of time, we think that would be really great for them to be able to experience some independence like that," Picchiarini said. To set up a tour in the smart living home or for more information about ARC human services, click here.
CTV News
04-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Saskatoon student invents deaf blind communication device
WATCH: A Saskatoon high school student is gaining national attention for his invention that helps deaf blind people communicate with others.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Assistive Technologies for the Visually Impaired Market Worth $11.25 Billion by 2029 and $20.89 Billion by 2034: Analysis of Trends, Opportunities, Strategies and Key Players
Assistive Technologies for the Visually Impaired Market Dublin, May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Assistive Technologies for the Visually Impaired Market Opportunities and Strategies to 2034" report has been added to report describes and explains the assistive technologies for visually impaired market and covers 2019-2024, termed the historic period, and 2024-2029, 2034F termed the forecast period. The report evaluates the market across each region and for the major economies within each region. The global assistive technologies for visually impaired market reached a value of nearly $6.11 billion in 2024, having grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.09% since 2019. The market is expected to grow from $6.11 billion in 2024 to $11.25 billion in 2029 at a rate of 12.99%. The market is then expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.17% from 2029 and reach $20.89 billion in in the historic period resulted from the improvements in internet connectivity, rising prevalence of visual impairments, rising healthcare expenditure and increased government initiatives and regulations. Factors that negatively affected growth in the historic period were privacy and security concerns and low healthcare access in developing forward, growing use of smartphones, expansion of e-commerce platforms, increasing aging population worldwide and rising demand for independent living solutions will drive the growth. Factor that could hinder the growth of the assistive technologies for visually impaired market in the future include economic global assistive technologies for visually impaired markets are fragmented, with a large number of players operating in the market. The top ten competitors in the market made up 8.04% of the total market in 2023. Cambium Learning Group was the largest competitor with a 2.39% share of the market, followed by Vispero Group (VFO) with 1.08%, Eschenbach Optik GmbH with 0.93%, Acer Inc. with 0.87%, Optelec Inc. with 0.67%, OrCam Technologies Ltd. with 0.56%, Google LLC with 0.50%, HumanWare Group with 0.48%, LVI Low Vision International AB with 0.32% and eSight Corporation with 0.24%.North America was the largest region in the assistive technologies for visually impaired market, accounting for 36.07% or $2.2 billion of the total in 2024. It was followed by Asia-Pacific, Western Europe and then the other regions. Going forward, the fastest-growing regions in the assistive technologies for visually impaired market will be Asia-Pacific and South America where growth will be at CAGRs of 15.12% and 14.11% respectively. These will be followed by Africa and Middle East where the markets are expected to grow at CAGRs of 13.84% and 13.60% assistive technologies for visually impaired market is segmented by type into educational devices and software, mobility devices, low vision devices and other types. The educational devices and software market was the largest segment of the assistive technologies for visually impaired market segmented by type, accounting for 41.49% or $2.53 billion of the total in 2024. Going forward, the educational devices and software segment is expected to be the fastest growing segment in the assistive technologies for visually impaired market segmented by type, at a CAGR of 15.08% during assistive technologies for visually impaired market is segmented by distribution channel into online retail, offline retail and direct sales. The online retail market was the largest segment of the assistive technologies for visually impaired market segmented by distribution channel, accounting for 46.47% or $2.84 billion of the total in 2024. Going forward, the online retail segment is expected to be the fastest growing segment in the assistive technologies for visually impaired market segmented by distribution channel, at a CAGR of 17.52% during assistive technologies for visually impaired market is segmented by end user into blind schools, enterprises and social organizations, personal use, hospitals and other end users. The enterprises and social organizations market was the largest segment of the assistive technologies for visually impaired market segmented by end user, accounting for 44.86% or $2.74 billion of the total in 2024. Going forward, the enterprises and social organizations segment is expected to be the fastest growing segment in the assistive technologies for visually impaired market segmented by end user, at a CAGR of 15.37% during top opportunities in the assistive technologies for visually impaired market segmented by type will arise in the educational devices and software segment, which will gain $2.58 billion of global annual sales by 2029. The top opportunities in the assistive technologies for visually impaired market segmented by distribution channel will arise in the online retail segment, which will gain $3.52 billion of global annual sales by 2029. The top opportunities in the assistive technologies for visually impaired market segmented by application will arise in the enterprises and social organizations segment, which will gain $2.86 billion of global annual sales by 2029. The assistive technologies for visually impaired market size will gain the most in the USA at $1.56 strategies for the assistive technologies for visually impaired market include advancements in wearable smart glasses enhancing independence with assistive technologies, integration of AI in assistive technologies enhancing personalized solutions for the visually impaired, focus on accessible smartphones driving innovation in assistive technologies and advancements in digital accessibility expanding inclusivity and usability for visually impaired strategies in the assistive technologies for visually impaired market include focus on strengthening its business operations through new developments and business operations through strategic take advantage of the opportunities, the analyst recommends the assistive technologies for visually impaired companies to focus on wearable smart technology to support independence in visually impaired individuals, focus on integrating AI to create personalized assistive technologies, focus on developing accessible smartphones for visually impaired individuals, focus on improving digital accessibility for visually impaired users, expand in emerging markets, focus on expanding distribution channels for assistive technologies for visually impaired, focus on developing competitive pricing strategies for assistive technologies for visually impaired, focus on leveraging digital marketing for assistive technologies for visually impaired, focus on partnerships with social organizations and enterprises for promotion, focus on the online retail market for assistive technologies for visually impaired and focus on enterprises and social organizations market for assistive technologies for visually Market Trends Advancements in Wearable Smart Glasses Enhancing Independence With Assistive Technologies Integration of AI in Assistive Technologies Enhancing Personalized Solutions for the Visually Impaired Focus on Accessible Smartphones Driving Innovation in Assistive Technologies Advancements in Digital Accessibility Expanding Inclusivity and Usability for Visually Impaired Users Markets Covered:1) by Type: Educational Devices; Software; Mobility Devices; Low Vision Devices; Other Types2) by Distribution Channel: Online Retail; Offline Retail; Direct Sales3) by End User: Blind Schools; Enterprises and Social Organizations; Personal Use; Hospitals; Other End UsersKey Companies Profiled: Cambium Learning Group; Vispero Group (VFO); Eschenbach Optik GmbH; Acer Inc.; Optelec China; Australia; India; Indonesia; Japan; South Korea; USA; Canada; Brazil; France; Germany; UK; Italy; Spain; RussiaRegions: Asia-Pacific; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; North America; South America; Middle East; Series: Five years historic and ten years Ratios of market size and growth to related markets; GDP proportions; expenditure per capita; assistive technologies for the visually impaired indicators Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 296 Forecast Period 2024-2034 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $6.11 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2034 $20.89 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 13.1% Regions Covered Global The companies featured in this Assistive Technologies for the Visually Impaired market report include: Cambium Learning Group Vispero Group (VFO) Eschenbach Optik GmbH Acer Inc Optelec Inc OrCam Technologies Ltd. Google LLC HumanWare Group LVI Low Vision International AB eSight Corporation Sony Corporation HumanWare ViewPlus Technologies Nippon Telesoft Co., Ltd. Envision AI Microsoft Corporation Thinkerbell Labs Ikotek Artha France Banca Sella iVision Tech Sonova Holding AG Essilor International Reinecker Vision GmbH Dolphin Computer Access Ltd. Sight and Sound Technology Ltd. Eurobraille SA Braille Works Apple Plantronics Inc American Thermoform Corporation Freedom Scientific Inc AbleNet, Inc Access Ingenuity Amal Glass Vinsighte Limited Torchit Sensory Solutions ReAble For more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Assistive Technologies for the Visually Impaired Market CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
