Tutorial Eight: Assistive Technology

Provide a definition of Assistive technology (your Cook and Hussey reading may be helpful with this).

Assistive technology is a generic term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices and the process used in selecting, locating, and using them. AT promotes greater independence for people with disabilities by enabling them to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing enhancements to or changed methods of interacting with the technology needed to accomplish such tasks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_technology


Describe one piece of equipment introduced in the assistive technology tutorial. Provide information on size, cost and functions.

Blink glasses- These allow the person who is wearing them to turn on and off a switch by blinking. It has a wee sensor that picks up on the person blinking and enables the switch to turn on and off using the blinking motion.
The size of it is the size of a normal pair of glasses which has a cord that runs to a switch board to change the sensitivity if blinking.
The cost of these is around $1000.00



How does your chosen piece of equipment increased functional capacity for the user? Provide examples here from the tutorial and lecture.

These glasses allow the user control of a switch, using the blinking movement. It is designed for someone with a severe physical disability who can only blink, so by using these glasses they are able to blink, have some control and communicate like everyone else.