AI and robotics are driving innovation in assistive technology. However, there is still work to be done to make this technology affordable and widely available. This article is part of the 5G and Connectivity Playbook, a series that explores one of the most important technologies of our time. Innovation.
Thank you for registering!
Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed on the go. Download the app
By clicking “Sign Up”, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You can opt-out at any time by visiting our settings page or by clicking “unsubscribe” at the bottom of the email.
Esther Crann was ecstatic the first time she tried Atalante X, a self-balancing robotic exoskeleton.
Klang, who is quadriplegic, works at Fable, an accessibility testing platform that connects product developers with people with disabilities who test assistive technology and provide feedback.
At first, Klan was skeptical. It took several minutes for physical therapists to secure her in the exoskeleton. “This has allowed me to stand up and walk independently for the first time in 18 years,” she told Business Insider. She widely credits assistive technology with saving her from “despair and extremely dark thoughts.”
Atalante X is manufactured by Wondercraft, a company founded in 2012 by a group of engineers developing mobility technology. The exoskeleton recently gained attention after Paralympic athlete Kevin Piette wore it to carry the Olympic torch.
Paralympic tennis player Kevin Piett carried the Olympic torch in Wondercraft’s Atalanta X, a robotic exoskeleton. Provided by Wondercraft
Atalante X is one of many innovative developments in assistive technology, a market predicted to exceed $12 billion by the end of 2036. Innovations such as AI-powered and robotic mobility aids and communication tools are poised to transform the daily lives of millions of people. . But widespread adoption depends on ensuring that this technology is affordable and reaches the people who need it.
Promotion of rehabilitation
Dr. Laurent Metz, WonderCraft’s global chief medical officer, described Atalante X as a “sensor-packed walking robot.” The exoskeleton uses AI to predict the movements needed to keep the user upright and moving, and translates these into commands sent to a series of motors. “This is an interactive process that repeats thousands of times per second,” Metz said.
This process takes place at rehabilitation hospitals and walking centers in the United States, Europe, and Brazil under the guidance of medical professionals. One rehabilitation center announced that it had conducted 750 sessions with more than 60 patients in just over nine months, and patients had walked more than 1 million steps with Atalante X.
Wondercraft is preparing to release a personal exoskeleton out of hospitals. The company has not disclosed a timeline for the technology, but the effort is part of an effort to expand the availability and capabilities of assistive technology.
ReWalk Robotics is also modifying home exoskeletons to allow users to climb stairs and curbs. The exoskeleton was approved for personal use in 2014, but until recently it could only be used on flat ground. ReWalk says the modifications are aimed at allowing people with spinal cord injuries to access more everyday environments and activities.
Assistive technology for everyday use
Accessibility technology is already being used in homes across the country. “You probably don’t think of a Roomba vacuum as assistive technology, but it is,” says Elaine Chartre-Short, an assistant professor of computer science at Tufts University.
Short said the technology is a quick fix for people who don’t have time to vacuum, but it can also be helpful for people with physical problems. “I also have a mobility impairment, so vacuuming isn’t the best use of my energy. I have this robot do the cleaning for me,” she said.
Other assistive technologies are redefining accessibility and mobility. For example, the Tatum T1, developed by Tatum Robotics, is a robotic hand designed to translate raw speech and text output into American Sign Language. And Kronos Robotics has developed Kim-e, a hands-free “invisible wheelchair” with an adjustable seat that can be raised to standing height.
Robotics is also advancing the capabilities of prosthetic limbs. UK-based expansion designer Dani Claude has been working with neuroscientists for several years to create and fine-tune Third Thumb. She describes it as a “flexible, 3D-printed hand thumb extension.”
Third Thumb is a thumb extension device. Dani Claude Design
Clode said Third Thumb’s development was a process of trial and error, “refining both the mechanical design and the wireless control system, and going through many prototypes and prototypes.” This technology was the result of Claude’s quest to “design something that is an extension of the body and accessible to everyone.”
The road to accessibility
Although there are small-scale examples of assistive robots helping people around the home, there is a long way to go before technologies such as robotic exoskeletons, limbs, and guide dogs become widespread.
Meanwhile, researchers like Short and product testers like Klang are working with engineers to ensure marginalized people are included in the development process.
Cran said it’s important for product development teams to “listen to and incorporate the insights of people with disabilities” as early as possible in the process. “We know what works for us and what doesn’t,” she adds, adding that when a product claims to be accessible, it falls short. It’s very frustrating.”
Assistive technology can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is a problem for many Americans with disabilities, who are more likely to live below the poverty line than their non-disabled counterparts, according to a study by the National Institute on Disability.
Mr Short said he was confident prices would come down. Fifteen years ago, an assistance robot like the PR2 (no longer available) cost about $400,000. Similar technology, such as Hello Robot’s Stretch 3, is currently available online for $25,000. “It’s still not available to most people, but it’s getting better,” she says.
Still, Short told BI that he believes it will be decades before most robots find their way into American homes.
Short said he is urging technology developers to consider “non-normative users” – people who are not able-bodied. Short cited cell phones as an example of how technology evolves to serve a wider range of users. “This is great assistive technology, but it wasn’t invented for people with disabilities,” she says. “There was a lot of catch-up work that needed to be done in terms of accessibility, but that work transformed mobile phones into something that could be used as assistive technology.”
Improving accessibility takes time, but can yield meaningful progress. Klang said her experience with Atalante X changed her life.
Ms. Cran credits assistive technology for allowing her to walk independently, and her work as an advocate and consultant for the disability community has made her feel life-affirming. He added that there is.
“I am excited about the continued and rapid advances in assistive technology that will greatly enrich my life,” said Cran.
