Assistive Technology

Assistive technology is becoming more prominent in today's society as the world evolves and changes and our need for technology to assist us in our daily lives increases.

Assistive technology is defined as “any item, piece of equipment or product system whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized that is used to increase or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities” (States Act, as cited in Cook & Hussey, 1995). I perceive Assistive Technology as any form of technology which has been adapted to help increase participation in activities. These may include wheelchairs, communication devices such as iPads, adaptive cutlery, walkers and the list goes on! 

Although there are many forms of Assistive Technology one particular item that I have become rather intrigued about is powered wheelchairs! During our recent Assistive Technology lecture with Dave Speden from Kimi Ora school, a school for children with high needs, in Wellington we were introduced to power chairs and given an insight into how important these are for children in particular.

It was incredible to see how much independence could be given by a piece of equipment and how there are so many gadgets that help aid this independence to give individuals the quality of life they deserve.

Power chairs...well where to begin! There are so many different types available each with modifications to best match the individuals needs.

They vary in sizes, drive types, control types, specialty control configurations and seating systems (Allied Medical, 2012). When considering looking into a powered wheelchair one must consider some of the following questions so the power chair best suits the individual and therefore allows them maximum independence. Some questions include

Allied Medical (2012) states that there are three main types of chairs available; rear wheel drive, mid wheel drive and front wheel drive. A rear wheel drive is a more traditional configuration with the drive wheels behind the backrest of the chair. This type of chair is commonly used with those who have unstable hand functioning and can sometimes be larger and have a larger turning circle (the space in which the chair needs to turn on itself in a complete circle). "A mid-wheel drive and a front-wheel drive have their drive wheels further forward, which allows the power chair to be extremely maneuverable and an ability to turn in a much smaller space than a rear-wheel-drive might require." 

As I said earlier there are so many options of what kind of power chairs you can get!
Check out this websites as examples of the large variety.
Allied Medical

This video is also another example of the range of power chairs available:

Chairs also come with many other gadgets such as blue-toothing capabilities, seating systems, special controllers and so much more!

And the cost you may ask? Well that varies depending on what kind of modifications the chair has and what form of drive it is. Also depending on availability of the chair prices may vary also.

These chairs are amazing in how they help individuals to accomplish their goals. Dave Speden (as mentioned above) spoke about how the use of this technology has aided children to explore, learn, discover and most importantly play which is so so important to children! It helps them to engage in both learning in school hours and outside of school and not only that but helps them to do daily activities.

Having the ability to be able to do this on their own is also so important and having independence at any stage in life is what we all want, need and strive for. 
Shown in this video below is a young girl accomplishing daily tasks independently and given her the freedom to be a child and learn and experience such important parts of life.

This equipment also relates to the term occupational performance, which is used commonly in the Occupational Therapy lingo. This term is defined as a person's ability to do everyday tasks such as working, playing, and relaxing. However for people who has a disability their occupational performance in some areas is restricted and limits them from participating fully in activities.

And this is where amazing technology, such as power chairs, comes in. This technology  breaks down these barriers and allow individuals to fully participate in activities which are of importance to them. It gives individuals independence and helps to eliminate stigma and enables individuals to live the lives they want to. How amazing is that!

Allied Medical. (2012). Power chairs. Retrieved on April 22, 2012 from http://www.alliedmedical.co.nz/medical/category.asp?id=8

Cook, A. M., & Hussey, S. M. (1995). Assistive technologies: Principles and practice. Missouri: Mosby.

Queensland Government. (2007). Occupational performance. Retrieved on April 24, 2012 from http://education.qld.gov.au/studentservices/learning/disability/parentguide/glossary/index.html

YouTube. (2012). Etac balder junior power wheelchair ENG. Retrieved on April 24, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbTuI_h39Bs 

YouTube. (2012). Invacare TDX electric wheelchair. Retrieved on April 24, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_syLLTpu3kw