Main description:

Rapid and unprecedented population ageing poses a serious social and economic challenge across the developed world. Shifts in dependency ratios point to escalating welfare and pensions costs which require radical and imaginative responses from Government and industry. The key to this is maintaining a healthy population that is able and willing to work longer before retirement and can remain independent for as long as possible afterwards as well as bringing disabled people into mainstream life and employment.

This book was stimulated by the third CWUAAT workshop, held in Cambridge, England in April 2006; the contributors representing leading researchers in the fields of Inclusive Design, Rehabilitation Robotics, Universal Access and Assistive Technology.

Contributions focus on the following topics:

• design issues for a more inclusive world;


• enabling computer access and the development of new technologies;


• assistive technology and rehabilitation robotics; and,


• understanding users and involving them in design.

The CWUAAT workshops have a general focus on product and solution development. As a result, many of the requirements for the successful design of assistive and accessible technology have been addressed and these range from the identification and capture of the needs of the users, through to the development and evaluation of truly usable and accessible systems for users with special needs.

Feature:

Covers the developments which have taken place in the field in the last four years

Provides practical examples and methods of application of inclusive design

A broader perspective than other literature in the field

Offers an international perspective on inclusive design and assistive technology from leading researchers in the field

Back cover:

Rapid and unprecedented population ageing poses a serious social and economic challenge across the developed world. Shifts in dependency ratios point to escalating welfare and pensions costs which require radical and imaginative responses from Government and industry. The key to this is maintaining a healthy population that is able and willing to work longer before retirement and can remain independent for as long as possible afterwards as well as bringing disabled people into mainstream life and employment.

This book was stimulated by the third CWUAAT workshop, held in Cambridge, England in April 2006; the contributors representing leading researchers in the fields of Inclusive Design, Rehabilitation Robotics, Universal Access and Assistive Technology.

Contributions focus on the following topics:

• design issues for a more inclusive world;


• enabling computer access and the development of new technologies;


• assistive technology and rehabilitation robotics; and,


• understanding users and involving them in design.

The CWUAAT workshops have a general focus on product and solution development. As a result, many of the requirements for the successful design of assistive and accessible technology have been addressed and these range from the identification and capture of the needs of the users, through to the development and evaluation of truly usable and accessible systems for users with special needs.

Contents:

Design Issues for a More Inclusive World.- The Inclusive Challenge: A Multidisciplinary Educational Approach.- Universal Design in Japanese Technological Industries.- Encouraging Inclusive Design Through Standardisation.- Factors Involved in Industry’s Response to Inclusive Design.- Providing Strategic User Information for Designers: Methods and Initial Findings.- Design for Inclusion.- Designers’ Use of the Artefact in Human-centred Design.- Enabling Computer Access and the Development of New Technologies.- Introducing COGAIN — Communication by Gaze Interaction.- Older Users’ Requirements for Interactive Television.- InclusiveCAD: A Software Resource for Designers.- Towards an Interactive System Eliciting Narrative Comprehension in Children with Autism: A Longitudinal Study.- Assistive Technology and Rehabilitation Robotics.- Collaborative Visual-servoing of the MANUS Manipulator.- User-centred Approach to the Design and Evaluation of a Stair-climbing Aid.- The SMART Project: A User Led Approach to Developing Applications for Domiciliary Stroke Rehabilitation.- Non-speech Operated Emulation of Keyboard.- Dysarthric Speech Measures for Use in Evidence-based Speech Therapy.- Non-formal Therapy and Learning Potentials Through Human Gesture Synchronised to Robotic Gesture.- Understanding Users and Involving Them in the Design Process.- Inclusive Design Evaluation and the Capability-demand Relationship.- Investigating the Role of Experience in the Use of Consumer Products.- Software Co-design with Older People.- Creating User Centred Creative Design Tools for the Packaging Industry Using Video Ethnographic Research Techniques.- Differing Perspectives on Telecare: An Attitudinal Survey of Older People, Professional Care Workers and Informal Carers.- Away from Home (Public) Toilet Design: Identifying User Wants, Needs and Aspirations.- Involving People with Dementia in the Development of a Discussion Forum: A Community-centred Approach.