The development and application of assistive technology can help those with reduced abilities improve their quality of life and reduce their dependence on others. Written in layman’s terms, Devices for Mobility and Manipulation for People with Reduced Abilities provides research and information on assistive technologies for non-technical people. While it highlights various mobility and manipulative technologies, with the exception of specific examples within the text, it keeps technical terminology, equations, and software details to a minimum. It presents technical material in a digestible way for people with reduced abilities as well as for their caregivers. Each chapter covers a specific technology, and starts with a general introduction of that technology, followed by the technical details and an assessment from the user’s viewpoint. This includes the user benefits and suitability, cost, reliability, and required infrastructure. The chapter also provides illustrations or photographs of the devices, and identifies shortcomings, current research related to the technology, and possible development opportunities. Each chapter provides the range of specifications for the equipment and includes a list of manufacturers. Discusses user advantages and conditions Examines technologies for robotic wheelchairs and prostheses Helps a clinician or user understand the different devices that support people with disabilities This book provides clinicians, users, and engineers with the details of different technologies, and also includes a guide to the technology that underpins each of these devices, making it easier for people to understand the devices. References are also included for scientists, designers, and other tech-savvy professionals interested in further information.

The development and application of assistive technology can help those with reduced abilities improve their quality of life and reduce their dependence on others. Written in layman's terms, Devices for Mobility and Manipulation for People with Reduced Abilities provides research and information on assistive technologies for non-technical people. Wh

The future of disability in America will depend on how well the U.S. prepares for and manages the demographic, fiscal, and technological developments that will unfold during the next two to three decades. Building upon two prior studies from the Institute of Medicine (the 1991 Institute of Medicine's report Disability in America and the 1997 report Enabling America), The Future of Disability in America examines both progress and concerns about continuing barriers that limit the independence, productivity, and participation in community life of people with disabilities. This book offers a comprehensive look at a wide range of issues, including the prevalence of disability across the lifespan; disability trends the role of assistive technology; barriers posed by health care and other facilities with inaccessible buildings, equipment, and information formats; the needs of young people moving from pediatric to adult health care and of adults experiencing premature aging and secondary health problems; selected issues in health care financing (e.g., risk adjusting payments to health plans, coverage of assistive technology); and the organizing and financing of disability-related research. The Future of Disability in America is an assessment of both principles and scientific evidence for disability policies and services. This book's recommendations propose steps to eliminate barriers and strengthen the evidence base for future public and private actions to reduce the impact of disability on individuals, families, and society.

Assistive Technology for the Elderly addresses the intricacies involved in the design and development of assisted technologies for the elderly, covering smart systems such as magnifying book contents, speaking electronic devices, alarms for doors and windows, smart alert bands, panic buttons, medication dispensers and reminders, Wander Gard, physiological parameters monitoring systems and smart home monitoring systems. This book is aimed at those who are responsible for designing assistive technology intended to be used by the elderly. It lays out the technology that is already available and covers user needs and state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies. - Focuses on practical devices and technology for engineers - Offers deep coverage of sensor based assistive technologies that are elderly for people with dementia, physical disabilities and people living alone - Covers assistive technology ecosystems and offers case studies for practical application

This handbook brings together technical expertise, conceptual background, applications, and societal aspects of Industry 4.0: the evolution of automation and data exchange in fabrication technologies, materials processing, and device manufacturing at both experimental and theoretical model scales. The book assembles all the aspects of Industry 4.0, starting from the emergence of the concept to the consequences of its progression. Drawing on expert contributors from around the world, the volume details the technologies that sparked the fourth revolution and illustrates their characteristics, potential, and methods of use in the industrial and societal domains. In addition, important topics such as ethics, privacy and security are considered in a reality where all data is shared and saved remotely. The collection of contribution serve a very broad audience working in the fields of science and engineering, chemical engineering, materials science, nanotechnology, energy, environment, green chemistry, sustainability, electrical and electronic engineering, solid-state physics, surface science, aerosol technology, chemistry, colloid science, device engineering, and computer technology. This handbook ideal reference libraries in universities and industrial institutions, government and independent institutes, individual research groups and scientists.

Assistive Technology Assessment Handbook, Second Edition, proposes an international ideal model for the assistive technology assessment process, outlining how this model can be applied in practice to re-conceptualize the phases of an assistive technology delivery system according to the biopsychosocial model of disability. The model provides reference guidelines for evidence-based practice, guiding both public and private centers that wish to compare, evaluate, and improve their ability to match a person with the correct technology model. This second edition also offers a contribution to the Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE) initiative, whose activities are strongly focused on the assistive products service delivery model. Organized into three parts, the handbook: gives readers a toolkit for performing assessments; describes the roles of the assessment team members, among them the new profession of psychotechnologist; and reviews technologies for rehabilitation and independent living, including brain–computer interfaces, exoskeletons, and technologies for music therapy. Edited by Stefano Federici and Marcia J. Scherer, this cross-cultural handbook includes contributions from leading experts across five continents, offering a framework for future practice and research.

This book contains a comprehensive overview of all current uses of robots in rehabilitation. The underlying principles in each application are provided. This is followed by a critical review of the technology available, of the utilization protocols, and of user studies, outcomes, and clinical evidence, if existing. Ethical and social implications of robot use are also discussed. The reader will have an in depth view of rehabilitation robots, from principles to practice.