From individual innovation to global impact: the Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE) innovation snapshot as a method for sharing and scaling

Abstract

Assistive technology (AT) is an essential facilitator of independence and participation, both for people living with the effects of disability and/or non-communicable disease, as well as people aging with resultant functional decline. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes the substantial gap between the need for and provision of AT and is leading change through the Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE) initiative. Showcasing innovations gathered from 92 global researchers, innovators, users and educators of AT through the WHO GREAT Summit, this article provides an analysis of ideas and actions on a range of dimensions in order to provide a global overview of AT innovation. The accessible method used to capture and showcase this data is presented and critiqued, concluding that “innovation snapshots” are a rapid and concise strategy to capture and showcase AT innovation and to foster global collaboration.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Focal tools such as ePosters with uniform data requirements enable the rapid sharing of information.

• A diversity of innovative practices are occurring globally in the areas of AT Products, Policy, Provision, People and Personnel.

• The method offered for Innovation Snapshots had substantial uptake and is a feasible means to capture data across a range of stakeholders.

• Meeting accessibility criteria is an emerging competency in the AT community.

• Substantial areas of common interest exist across regions and globally in the AT community, demonstrating the effectiveness of information sharing platforms such as GATE and supporting the idea of regional forums and networks.

     

Assistive technology and people: a position paper from the first global research,innovation and education on assistive technology (GREAT) summit

Abstract

Assistive technology (AT) is a powerful enabler of participation. The World Health Organization’s Global Collaboration on Assistive Technology (GATE) programme is actively working towards access to assistive technology for all. Developed through collaborative work as a part of the Global Research, Innovation and Education on Assistive Technology (GREAT) Summit, this position paper provides a “state of the science” view of AT users, conceptualized as “People” within the set of GATE strategic “P”s. People are at the core of policy, products, personnel and provision. AT is an interface between the person and the life they would like to lead. People’s preferences, perspectives and goals are fundamental to defining and determining the success of AT. Maximizing the impact of AT in enabling participation requires an individualized and holistic understanding of the value and meaning of AT for the individual, taking a universal model perspective, focusing on the person, in context, and then considering the condition and/or the technology. This paper aims to situate and emphasize people at the centre of AT systems: we highlight personal meanings and perspectives on AT use and consider the role of advocacy, empowerment and co-design in developing and driving AT processes.     

The order and priority of research and design method application within an assistive technology new product development process: a summative content analysis of 20 case studies

Summative content analysis was used to define methods and heuristics from each case study. The review process was in two parts: (1) A literature review to identify conventional research methods and (2) a summative content analysis of published case studies, based on the identified methods and heuristics to suggest an order and priority of where and when were used. Over 200 research and design methods and design heuristics were identified. From the review of the 20 case studies 42 were identified as being applied. The majority of methods and heuristics were applied in phase two, market choice. There appeared a disparity between the limited numbers of methods frequently used, under 10 within the 20 case studies, when hundreds were available.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• The communication highlights a number of issues that have implication for those involved in assistive technology new product development:

• ?The study defined over 200 well-established research and design methods and design heuristics that are available for use by those who specify and design assistive technology products, which provide a comprehensive reference list for practitioners in the field;

• ?The review within the study suggests only a limited number of research and design methods are regularly used by industrial design focused assistive technology new product developers; and,

• ?Debate is required within the practitioners working in this field to reflect on how a wider range of potentially more effective methods and heuristics may be incorporated into daily working practice.

     

Bone marrow‐on‐a‐chip: Long‐term culture of human haematopoietic stem cells in a three‐dimensional microfluidic environment

Multipotent haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) are the source for all blood cell types. The bone marrow stem cell niche in which the HSPCs are maintained is known to be vital for their maintenance. Unfortunately, to date, no in vitro model exists that accurately mimics the aspects of the bone marrow niche and simultaneously allows the long‐term culture of HSPCs. In this study, a novel three‐dimensional coculture model is presented, based on a hydroxyapatite coated zirconium oxide scaffold, comprising of human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and cord blood derived HSPCs, enabling successful HSPC culture for a time span of 28 days within the microfluidic multiorgan chip. The HSPCs were found to stay in their primitive state (CD34⁺CD38^?) and capable of granulocyte, erythrocyte, macrophage, megakaryocyte colony formation. Furthermore, a microenvironment was formed bearing molecular and structural similarity to the in vivo bone marrow niche containing extracellular matrix and signalling molecules known to play an important role in HSPC homeostasis. Here, a novel human in vitro bone marrow model is presented for the first time, capable of long‐term culture of primitive HSPCs in a microfluidic environment.