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Helping those with Special Needs
Technology to Improve the Quality of Life
Many of us have been used to leading normal, unfettered lives when something happens to change all that.; for example, arthritis may make it impossible to move one's fingers but otherwise one is fully fit and capable. Others, less fortunate, will have more profound and perhaps lifelong problems. However, there is no reason why all should not be able to pursue their normal lives as they desire subject to differing levels of support. Traditionally such support has been based around the supply of personal services, usually on a one-to-one basis. While, well appreciated, such services are expensive and need to be timely to suit the needs of those supported. New technology can provide some alternatives, certainly not in total, but in many cases can develop in the person a sense of independence that has been lost or perhaps, never felt.
There has long been technology and ongoing technological innovation to support those with special requirements, from the wheelchair to the easy bottle opener. As we have moved into the electronic age so the rate of increase in provision has accelerated, with adapted remote control options abounding. What we have not had to date, is:
A generic approach to assistive technology
Location independent support
This paper attempts to address these issue with particular reference to lifestyle improvements.
Innovation in the home can include assistance in a number of key areas leading to increased independence:
Functional and control improvements. Adapted remote control of many items including lights, doors, wheelchair, entertainment systems, climate control, cooking facilities and curtains
Monitoring capability. The ability to monitor key health and well-being indicators with remote communications to a central monitoring and emergency control centre
Administration of medication. Both automatic and remotely controlled dosage administration with feedback
Communication provision. Ability to provide two way communications via IP networks as desired, to a control centre, to other people and to the Internet in general putting people online and in full communication with the world. This includes media changes such text to voice etc.
All of the above is coming, but what we do not yet have is an integrated common backbone of compatible technology and interface software. The result is that different supportive technologies do not interact with one another, while bringing on a new service represents a major new investment. This is a particular problem for those agencies who want to introduce new developments but cant afford just to ditch what they already have working for them. Work is starting now to address this issue which, when completed will enable major improvements to be made in at-home technology based service provision.
However, even with this new integrated provision, technology support is restricted to the home and its close environs. How can we give a supported person the freedom to go out of his or her home, travel to their destination and then function optimally at that location without their normal in-home service package, even if a personal carer or assistant is in attendance? Where is the independence and dignity? Why cannot a library, for example, as a public place, link into the person's at-home network at least to provide the essential communications links?
Given the availability of good, and now fast, mobile phone networks, as well as WiFi in cities, where perhaps tall buildings and narrow streets affect the mobile signal, there is no reason why a person should not be in direct communication with service providers at all times, in the home, while travelling and at one's new location. This just leaves us with the small problem of communicating what, to whom and with what purpose?
First let us make an assumption or two:
A supportive backbone has been created to provide an integrated assistive environment in the home
An entity or organisation has been created to manage the integration and routing of requirements nationally in order to handle out of home requirements
Now – what we need is to have a means to identify the person requiring assistance as they leave home and to profile their needs in different environments. This is most conveniently done using a smartcard. Many local authorities are developing citizen card solutions for their population including services to manage identity, payment, profiling and entitlements to service. These cards lend themselves readily to the addition of the further profile information that may be required.
The card could be housed in a portable device that communicates via GPRS, 3G or WiFi to identify the person, their location and their needs relevant to the location and activity. Supportive services may the be supplied including monitoring, administration of medication and appropriate communication.
The biggest issue in the above scenario is not technology, everything discussed above is available. What is holding us back is:Organisation
Funding
Privacy issues
It is certain that none of these are so called "deal stoppers", and that in time what has been described above will come to pass. What is necessary is to make it happen sooner rather than later.
Technology to Improve the Quality of Life
Many of us have been used to leading normal, unfettered lives when something happens to change all that.; for example, arthritis may make it impossible to move one's fingers but otherwise one is fully fit and capable. Others, less fortunate, will have more profound and perhaps lifelong problems. However, there is no reason why all should not be able to pursue their normal lives as they desire subject to differing levels of support. Traditionally such support has been based around the supply of personal services, usually on a one-to-one basis. While, well appreciated, such services are expensive and need to be timely to suit the needs of those supported. New technology can provide some alternatives, certainly not in total, but in many cases can develop in the person a sense of independence that has been lost or perhaps, never felt.
There has long been technology and ongoing technological innovation to support those with special requirements, from the wheelchair to the easy bottle opener. As we have moved into the electronic age so the rate of increase in provision has accelerated, with adapted remote control options abounding. What we have not had to date, is:
This paper attempts to address these issue with particular reference to lifestyle improvements.
Innovation in the home can include assistance in a number of key areas leading to increased independence:
All of the above is coming, but what we do not yet have is an integrated common backbone of compatible technology and interface software. The result is that different supportive technologies do not interact with one another, while bringing on a new service represents a major new investment. This is a particular problem for those agencies who want to introduce new developments but cant afford just to ditch what they already have working for them. Work is starting now to address this issue which, when completed will enable major improvements to be made in at-home technology based service provision.
However, even with this new integrated provision, technology support is restricted to the home and its close environs. How can we give a supported person the freedom to go out of his or her home, travel to their destination and then function optimally at that location without their normal in-home service package, even if a personal carer or assistant is in attendance? Where is the independence and dignity? Why cannot a library, for example, as a public place, link into the person's at-home network at least to provide the essential communications links?
Given the availability of good, and now fast, mobile phone networks, as well as WiFi in cities, where perhaps tall buildings and narrow streets affect the mobile signal, there is no reason why a person should not be in direct communication with service providers at all times, in the home, while travelling and at one's new location. This just leaves us with the small problem of communicating what, to whom and with what purpose?
First let us make an assumption or two:
Now – what we need is to have a means to identify the person requiring assistance as they leave home and to profile their needs in different environments. This is most conveniently done using a smartcard. Many local authorities are developing citizen card solutions for their population including services to manage identity, payment, profiling and entitlements to service. These cards lend themselves readily to the addition of the further profile information that may be required.
The card could be housed in a portable device that communicates via GPRS, 3G or WiFi to identify the person, their location and their needs relevant to the location and activity. Supportive services may the be supplied including monitoring, administration of medication and appropriate communication.
The biggest issue in the above scenario is not technology, everything discussed above is available. What is holding us back is:
It is certain that none of these are so called "deal stoppers", and that in time what has been described above will come to pass. What is necessary is to make it happen sooner rather than later.
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PIF - Mar 2008 ALCO starts the PIF Transport Working Group |
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BKV Budapest-
Feb 2008 ALCO & Sequoia Smart Solutions advise Budapest's public transport operator |
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Tuxedo Money Solutions-Feb 2008 ALCO advises on the impact and opportunities arising from new technology |
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Mobank-Jan 2008 Mobank development supported by ALCO Consulting |
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Monitise -Jan 2008 Monitise strategy advised by ALCO Consulting |
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NFC Enabled Mobile Phones Mar 2008 Growing Marketplace Enthusiasm |
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Prepaid Cards - Mar 2008 The move to contactless smartcards is gathering pace |
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Citizen Cards - Mar 2008 New opportunities |
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