Blog Posts
Featured
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Can Paralympic sport break down barriers to assistive technology use in Africa?
Nyasha Mharakurwa, Stacy Konadu Mensah, Patrick Yaw ObengSept. 13, 2021AfricaIn this blog, Nyasha Mharakurwa, a wheelchair tennis player and London 2012 Paralympian from Zimbabwe, Stacy Konadu Mensah, a wheelchair tennis player from Ghana, and Patrick Yaw Obeng, a para-athlete from Ghana share their reflections and experiences of barriers to assistive technology access and how Para sports can help break down these barriers for disabled people in Africa.
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Unlocking the potential of the Paralympics: Para Sport Against Stigma
Dr. Jessica Noske Turner (LU London), Prof. Mufunanji Magalsi (UofMalawi), Sheila Mogalo (IPC Consultant)Aug. 17, 2021AfricaCommunity engagement is indispensable to realising the potential impact of the Paralympic Games in different African contexts. The Para Sport Against Stigma project is using action research with partners to try out different approaches in practice to develop a knowledge pool for the kinds of community engagement processes that could ground the Paralympics in diverse contexts across the ‘arc’ of the Games cycle: the lead up, the main event, and the legacy of this year’s Tokyo 2021 Paralympic Games.
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International Day of Persons with Disabilities in informal settlements in Sierra Leone and Indonesia
Dr Ignacia Ossul Vermehren, UCL, Nina Asterina, Kota Kita, Hawanatu Bangura, SLURCDec. 3, 2020Sierra Leone, IndonesiaThe 3rd of December is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. We reflect on this year’s theme “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World” through DPU’s research “AT2030: Community led solutions” in informal settlements Sierra Leone and Indonesia.
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Digital assistive technology for inclusion: Zainab's story
Barbara GoeddeNov. 23, 2020IraqZainab Jalal Ahmed is 37 years old and works as a translator (Arabic-English) for the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Iraq. The documents she translates include Memorandums of Understanding and other legal document, as well as - to facilitate the sponsorship of Iraqi students to study in overseas universities in Britain, the United States or Australia - applications, transcripts of their marks and abstracts of their works. As many are documents are legal in nature, the translations need to be very precise. Zainab also interprets for delegations and other visitors.
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Powering Inclusion: Artificial Intelligence and Assistive Technology
Felipe Ramos BarajasNov. 14, 2020GlobalThe World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that by 2050 two billion people will need AT, yet 90% will not have access. This is why the AT2030 programme is engaged in testing research, innovation, policy, and building community solutions to see what works in addressing that enormous challenge.
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Exploring the experience of persons with disabilities of using mobile technology in their daily lives in Kenya and Bangladesh
Nusrat JahanNov. 6, 2020Kenya, BangladeshAlthough, mobile phones are universally used for communication, for persons with disabilities they become essential assistive technologies that bridge barriers to opportunities which are not accessible otherwise.
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Assistive Technology: What is in a name?
GATEOct. 19, 2020GlobalThe World Health Organization (WHO) defines assistive technology as ‘the application of organized knowledge and skills related to assistive products, including systems and services.’ Assistive products are ‘any external product (including devices, equipment, instruments or software)…the primary purpose of which is to maintain or improve an individual’s functioning and independence, and thereby promote their well-being’.1 Put simply, assistive products are the products and assistive technology is the whole ecosystem that is needed for their safe and effective provision and use.
All Blog Posts
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Can Paralympic sport break down barriers to assistive technology use in Africa?
Nyasha Mharakurwa, Stacy Konadu Mensah, Patrick Yaw ObengSept. 13, 2021AfricaIn this blog, Nyasha Mharakurwa, a wheelchair tennis player and London 2012 Paralympian from Zimbabwe, Stacy Konadu Mensah, a wheelchair tennis player from Ghana, and Patrick Yaw Obeng, a para-athlete from Ghana share their reflections and experiences of barriers to assistive technology access and how Para sports can help break down these barriers for disabled people in Africa.
-
Unlocking the potential of the Paralympics: Para Sport Against Stigma
Dr. Jessica Noske Turner (LU London), Prof. Mufunanji Magalsi (UofMalawi), Sheila Mogalo (IPC Consultant)Aug. 17, 2021AfricaCommunity engagement is indispensable to realising the potential impact of the Paralympic Games in different African contexts. The Para Sport Against Stigma project is using action research with partners to try out different approaches in practice to develop a knowledge pool for the kinds of community engagement processes that could ground the Paralympics in diverse contexts across the ‘arc’ of the Games cycle: the lead up, the main event, and the legacy of this year’s Tokyo 2021 Paralympic Games.
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The Launch of the Clubfoot Product Narrative
Miracle Feet, Clinton Health Access Initiative, Frederic SeghersJuly 29, 2021GlobalThis blog highlights the need for appropriately resourced and accessible clubfoot treatment programmes around the world. Through this story meet Quraish who shares his experience of the impact early treatment had on his life. Born with clubfoot, a birth defect in which one or both feet are turned inward and downward, it wasn’t until Quraish was four years old that his parents found treatment for his condition. “It changed my life forever,” he says. “I can wear shoes, run like any person can.” Now, with an accounting degree from Makerere University, he wants to pay it forward and help others realize their full potential.
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International Day of Persons with Disabilities in informal settlements in Sierra Leone and Indonesia
Dr Ignacia Ossul Vermehren, UCL, Nina Asterina, Kota Kita, Hawanatu Bangura, SLURCDec. 3, 2020Sierra Leone, IndonesiaThe 3rd of December is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. We reflect on this year’s theme “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World” through DPU’s research “AT2030: Community led solutions” in informal settlements Sierra Leone and Indonesia.
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Digital assistive technology for inclusion: Zainab's story
Barbara GoeddeNov. 23, 2020IraqZainab Jalal Ahmed is 37 years old and works as a translator (Arabic-English) for the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Iraq. The documents she translates include Memorandums of Understanding and other legal document, as well as - to facilitate the sponsorship of Iraqi students to study in overseas universities in Britain, the United States or Australia - applications, transcripts of their marks and abstracts of their works. As many are documents are legal in nature, the translations need to be very precise. Zainab also interprets for delegations and other visitors.
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Powering Inclusion: Artificial Intelligence and Assistive Technology
Felipe Ramos BarajasNov. 14, 2020GlobalThe World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that by 2050 two billion people will need AT, yet 90% will not have access. This is why the AT2030 programme is engaged in testing research, innovation, policy, and building community solutions to see what works in addressing that enormous challenge.
-
Exploring the experience of persons with disabilities of using mobile technology in their daily lives in Kenya and Bangladesh
Nusrat JahanNov. 6, 2020Kenya, BangladeshAlthough, mobile phones are universally used for communication, for persons with disabilities they become essential assistive technologies that bridge barriers to opportunities which are not accessible otherwise.
-
Assistive Technology: What is in a name?
GATEOct. 19, 2020GlobalThe World Health Organization (WHO) defines assistive technology as ‘the application of organized knowledge and skills related to assistive products, including systems and services.’ Assistive products are ‘any external product (including devices, equipment, instruments or software)…the primary purpose of which is to maintain or improve an individual’s functioning and independence, and thereby promote their well-being’.1 Put simply, assistive products are the products and assistive technology is the whole ecosystem that is needed for their safe and effective provision and use.
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Disability, inclusion and cities: can COVID-19 trigger change?
Dr Ignacia Ossul Vermehren, Julian Walker, UCL, Development Planning Unit (DPU), Hawanatu Bangura, SLURC, Yirah O’Conteh, FEDURP, Nina Asterina, Kota Kita, Kesuma Anugerah Yanti, Kaki KotaOct. 1, 2020COVID-19 has exacerbated the disadvantages experienced by people with disabilities in low-income communities of the global South. Here, the authors explain how urban community organisations are offering effective short-term support and inspiring inclusive longer-term strategies.
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What is Assistive Tech, who is it for, and what does it enable?
Rhys WilliamsSept. 28, 2020What does Assistive Technology mean and which products are the key priority products.
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Marking 4 years of the Global Disability Innovation Hub
Bernard ChiiraSept. 3, 2020Bernard Chiira reflects on the 4 years of GDI Hub and the role in promoting the AT innovation ecosystem as part of AT2030.
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Gender and disability in informal settlements during COVID-19: What we have learnt so far
Dr Ignacia Ossul VermehrenJune 30, 2020Sierra Leone, Indonesia, ChileOn Tuesday 11th February, we held an event on The Politics of Making Disability Visible in Community-led Urban Research as part of the Dialogues in Development series at The Bartlett Developing and Planning Unit (UCL). The aim of the event was to share reflections and learnings from the action-research project "Community-led solution: Assistive Technologies in Informal Settlements– an ongoing research project in four low-income urban communities: two in Freetown, Sierra Leone and two in Banjarmasin, Indonesia. Dr Ignacia Ossul Vermehren discussed gender and disability in informal settlements during COVID-19. and sheds a light on what we've learnt so far.
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Celebrating Inspirational Entrepreneurs Building Tech that Matters for Africa
Bernard Chiira, AMREF Health AfricaMay 13, 2020AfricaBernard presents an overview of the innovations and teams that were part of the first cohort of Innovate Now, Africa's first Assistive Tech Accelerator.
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Opportunities and challenges for disability inclusion during the COVID-19 pandemic
Dr Giulia Barbareschi, Mikaela Patrick, Global Disability Innovation HubApril 15, 2020To ensure society continues to become more accessible beyond COVID-19 we need to integrate the voices of disabled people in the design and development of policy, technology and infrastructure. Dr Giulia Barbareschi and Mikaela Patrick discuss the opportunities and challenges.
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COVID-19 response: using Assistive Technology learnings to seek emerging market ventilation solutions
Global Disability Innovation HubMarch 19, 2020Louise writes on how mimicking the learnings of the AT2030 programme and working across multi-disciplinary networks, we can bridge sectors and rapidly share expertise to catapult innovations through the product development cycle in the context of COVID-19.
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The Politics of Making Disability Visible in Community-led Urban Research
Development Planning Unit (DPU), Dr Ignacia Ossul VermehrenMarch 3, 2020Ignacia, research fellow working with the Build Capacity and Participation subprogramme presents a summary of the event organised with AT2030 partners.
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Understanding the Assistive Technology Landscape in 7 African Countries
Clinton Health Access Initiative, Novia AfdhilaDec. 9, 2019On November 5th, 2019, representatives from seven countries convened in Johannesburg, South Africa to discuss the rollout and initial findings from the Assistive Technology Country Capacity Assessments (CCA). This included the focal persons from Ethiopia, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Uganda who are carrying out the CCA in partnership with government ministries.
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Celebrating International Disability Day in Sierra Leone
Vicki Austin, Global Disability Innovation HubDec. 4, 2019Vicki shares her reflections of her experience in Freetown to celebrate International Disability Day (as it is called in Sierra Leone) with the communities for the first time.
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How a school football game changed Arnold's life
Ines Amri, Amparo ProstheticsDec. 2, 2019Ines writes about Arnold and his experience with Amparo's Confidence socket.
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Assistive Technology Changed My Life
Motivation, David ConstantineOct. 18, 2019David, Founder and Director of Motivation discusses the impact of assistive technology in his life and his work in the AT sector.
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ISPO Congress Summary
Dr Giulia Barbareschi, Global Disability Innovation HubOct. 16, 2019Giulia presents an overview of the research presented at the ISPO conference in Japan that included the Learnings from the AT2030 Programme for Service Delivery in LMIC.
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Life Changing Assistive Technology for All in Freetown and Banjarmasin
Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre, Hawanatu BanguraOct. 6, 2019Hawanatu gives an overview of a two-week workshop held in Banjarmasin in May 2019 with a team from UCL (UK), Kota Kita and Kaki Kota (Indonesia), and SLURC (Sierra Leone) as part of the project. The workshop started with site visits to the two communities (Pelambuan and Kelayan) in Banjarmasin where the AT2030 would be implemented. Participants then introduced useful presentations on the wider AT2030 project, disability, AT and informality between the two countries (Indonesia and Sierra Leone).
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Reflections on the challenges that people with disabilities face in Kibera, Nairobi
Dr Ben Oldfrey, Global Disability Innovation HubAug. 7, 2019Ben presents the work by GDI Hub and the University of Nairobi taht conducted a study, interviewing wheelchair users living in Kibera – an informal settlement found in Nairobi, Kenya. The study was part of a wider project with the aim of learning how people with disabilities use technology in their everyday lives and understanding the barriers people with disabilities (PWDs) face in various environments.
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One small step for an amputee and a giant leap for Amparo and GDI Hub
Dr Giulia Barbareschi, Global Disability Innovation HubJuly 30, 2019Giulia shares her insights on her experience working on lower limbs prosthetics with Amparo and the Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya (ADPK).
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Do we have the right Global Strategy to build access to Assistive Technology?
Vicki Austin, Global Disability Innovation HubMarch 27, 2019Vicki discusses the importance of global partnerships to address the gap to access assistive technology.