This Special Session will comprise contributions covering several aspects about the present development within standardization in the area of Assistive Technology. It will include the emerging grey zone in between traditional assistive products and consumer technology, new areas like cognition and accessible design, consumer participation in standardization, regional cooperation in Asia and special aspects related to Low and Middle Income countries and transfer of technologies. The European Standardization package will be described, as well as the motives and the purposes.
A report on disability from WHO (World report on disability, WHO 2011) states that more than one billion people in the world live with some form of disability, of whom nearly 200 million experience considerable difficulties in functioning. Assistive products can mean a difference to all these people.
There is a wide variety of assistive products/systems, many of which are technically advanced and of significant economic value. Some of the larger product categories in the market are wheelchairs, beds, assistive products for walking, hoists and aids for incontinence and ostomy. Growth sectors are primarily products based on information and communication technologies such as computer accessories, telecommunications equipment, special software and products for controlling and signaling.
New areas are being added recently such as cognitive aspects in existing standards and there is a growing concern that also assistive products with the aim to compensate for cognitive disabilities should be covered. Other areas which are included are products for personal hygiene and accessible design.
Consumers/users of assistive products are usually persons with a disability and/or older persons.
The major benefits expected of the standards developed are:
• criteria for manufacturers against which to design products;
• decreased production costs for assistive products;
• safe, reliable and functional products produced for purchasers and users;
• increased quality of life for users;
• improved cost effectiveness for purchasers, both private and public;
• enhanced compatibility between products;
• standards in new emerging areas such as accessibility and cognitive devices;
• common testing methods leading to comparable, reliable test results, such as the methods developed and standardized for testing electrical and manual wheelchairs.
Considering the trend toward independent living and the increase in the proportionof elderly people in the population the market of assistive products is expected to increase.
The market for assistive products is global. The technology used is often identical or similar – at least in the industrialized parts of the world. The need for standardization often coincides, and the competence/experts needed for standardization work can be found throughout the world. A close co-operation is established between the European and the International standardization bodies in the field of assistive products for persons with disability.