Tote Board-Enabling Lives Initiative

Grant Call

Data and Technology: Information and Resources

Empowering Persons with disabilities and Caregivers

with Information and Resources on Technology

BackgroundEnabling Masterplan 2012-16 on Assistive Technology (AT) and ICT

• AT and ICT enhances the quality of life of persons with disabilities and their potential to lead productive lives

• AT and ICT was underutilised at a systemic level

• AT and ICT adoption has to increase

SG Enable’s Focus Group Discussions

• Information and knowledge of AT and ICT were fragmented

• Dependence on individual know-how

• Information needs to be reliable, updated and accessible (including searchable, easily understood etc)

Tote Board – Enabling Lives Initiative Grant Call

Landscape• Gartner (Dec 2013):

– Persons with disabilities is an underserved market segment

– 1 Billion people worldwide

– They and immediate friends and family with annual

disposable income of US$8 Trillion

Tote Board – Enabling Lives Initiative Grant Call

Approximately

10% of Singapore

households are

impacted

More Support to Persons with Disabilities

The Future Landscape • The year 2030

• World’s Aging Population and Persons with Disabilities.

Tote Board – Enabling Lives Initiative Grant

Sample Segment(s):

• Rehab Robot’s market size

is at US$43.3 million is

expected to grow

dramatically to reach

US$1.8 billion by 2020 – WinterGreen

Research, June 2014

• Exoskeletons’ market size

could reach US$292

million by 2020 – ABI Research, July

2014

All Technology are Assistive

Tote Board – Enabling Lives Initiative Grant

Examples of AT and ICT

Tote Board – Enabling Lives Initiative Grant

Objectives of this Grant Call

• Increase awareness of the diverse options of AT/ ICT

• Improve access to timely and relevant information on AT/ ICT

• Improve ability to make informed decisions about AT/ ICT

• Increase adoption and usage of AT / ICT

• Improve coordination and efficient use of resources

• Successful projects should benefit persons with disabilities directly at a significantly to:

– Enhance quality of life

– Lead productive lives

– Harness AT/ ICT for job customisation and job opportunities

Tote Board – Enabling Lives Initiative Grant

Tote Board – Enabling Lives Initiative Grant

Aggregated Information Source on AT/ ICT

• Aggregation of information that is:

– Beyond a directory listing, easily updated

– Furnished with content that is easily understood

by “man on the street”. Content can include:

• Types of AT/ ICT

• Mainstream products that can be used as AT/ ICT

• Auxiliary and other information such as sources of

funding, distributors, repairs, customization etc

– Able to allow user to determine the reliability of

the content for example, content that are

curated and verified by AT/ ICT professionals

versus content that is shared by peers

Possible Approach 1(a)

Tote Board – Enabling Lives Initiative Grant

An Example: Independent Living Centre (NSW)

• 7,000 AT products

– And there are mainstream

technologies and products

that can be used as AT

– And there are new

development each day

Tote Board – Enabling Lives Initiative Grant

Continuous AT/ ICT Info Throughout Life

• Key considerations:

– Different needs for AT in different stages of life, or

experience change in environment

– New solutions will be presented as technologies are

innovated, invented or mainstreamed

– AT/ IT products would need repairs and

maintenance

• Possible areas to consider:

– Information (with different reliability) data-mined

predictive analytics contextualized for

individuals throughout life stages

– Individuals can benefit from dynamic information,

tips, advise, service or instructional content about

AT/ ICT

Possible Approach 1(b)

Tote Board – Enabling Lives Initiative Grant

Enhancing AT/ ICT Information and Assessment

• Key considerations:

– Persons with disabilities interact with various

organizations to get AT/ ICT. For example, needs

assessment product identification product trial

financial assistance

• Possible areas to consider:

– Nurture team(s) of AT/ ICT assessors with capabilities

to serve pan-disabilities profile

– Develop capabilities to bring AT/ ICT assessment

services to persons with disabilities in their natural

environment (e.g. school, workplace, home etc)

– Equip “key contact points” with knowledge to provide

initial advice for AT/ ICT assessment

Possible Approach 2

Summary

• Overarching principle is to develop

solutions that:

– Enable content to be aggregated for search and

dissemination

– Relevance, timely and reliable

– Self-help and pervasive help to make informed

decisions in addition to professional

recommendations

Tote Board – Enabling Lives Initiative Grant

The Grant Call welcomes other ideas apart from the outlined

approaches.

Other Information and Background

Evolution or Revolution

- From clinical to

mainstream

(fashionable)

- Social acceptance

- Adding new

technologies to product

(e.g. transition lens,

progressive lens etc)

Captain Hook

(the missing arm)

Robo Cop

(the body)

Train the Dragon

(a missing leg- and fin)

Star Wars

(Luke Skywalker’s bionic

arm)

Elysium

(Exoskeleton)

Edge of Tomorrow

(Exoskeleton)

The REEL Perspective on Assistive Technologies (AT)

The REEL Perspective on Assistive Technologies (AT)

Moral of the story:

Assistive Technologies are nothing

new – we been thinking and

dreaming about it since young

(and some of it does become

REAL)

Cochlear

(Listening device.

AU$3.5 Billion market cap)

EKSO

(Wearable bionic suit.

US$104.4 Million market

cap)

ReWalk

(Personal Exoskeleton, Aiming

at US$40-50 Million IPO,

US$250-300 Million valuation)

JACO Robotic Arm

(6-axis robotic manipulator

arm with a 3-fingered hand.

)

TEK RMD

(Allow paraplegia to sit,

stand and navigate)

OrCam

(Audio feedback to relay

visual information. Targeting

342 million adults with visual

impairment)

A REAL Perspective on Assistive Technologies (AT)

T.Jacket

(Wearable Touch

Technology jacket for

sensory disorder)

SoftWheel

(Shock absorbing

compression, more ease,

less fatigue )

Magellan Microprocessor

Foot Ankle System

(Mobile app, adjustable

ankles)

EyeGaze

(User operates computer

system by looking at

rectangular “keys” or cells)

Top Chair-S

(Stair Climbing Wheelchair)

Finger Reader

(Reads printed text out

loud)

Other Assistive Technologies (AT)

Lift Lab Spoon

(Tremor stabilization

device)

Eyeronman

(Vibrating clothes to help

navigate – for blind and

firefighters)

Environmental Controls

(iPad and Sew-on sensors)

3D Printing Lorm Glove

(Help deaf-blind people to

communicate with anyone)

Maxim Eyes

(60X magnification)

Other Assistive Technologies (AT)