A Toolkit for User-Centered Design of Assistive Technology Solutions

The needs and capabilities of persons with disabilities are manifold and ICT-based Assistive Technologies (AT) support many people with severe physical or mental restrictions today. Although ICT-based AT is on the agenda in ICT, Rehabilitation Engineering, service provision for people with disabilities and related disciplines more than 40 years, tools and frameworks for highly customizable assistive solutions do not exist on the market, nor are they described in scientific literature. Furthermore, highly specialized solutions are out-of-reach for many clients due to their high price. As a consequence, many people with disabilities cannot be adequately supported with Assistive Technology - and their full potential remains untapped (WHO 2011). The motivation behind this work is to develop and evaluate a component-based software framework and dedicated hardware modules for an efficient creation of personalized assistive solutions -- ranging from specialized computer access to Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), from environmental control and Internet-of-Things (IoT) to accessible gaming. By providing a set of reusable components for the integration of novel sensor- and actuator technologies, a cost-effective and rapid personalization of AT solutions is fostered. In this article, we present the software framework and hardware modules and discuss the results of evaluations done with end users.