Disability and Employment: Assistive devices that support manipulation and manual actions in the Workplace

Organised by: Knowledge Aided Engineering, Manufacturing and Related Technologies, Politecnico di Milano, I

Today, in the entire world, the population of people with disabilities is still growing. This group of people have demonstrated that with intervention programs and by using modern technology, their possibilities of gaining full control of their actions and movement, and of having a better life is growing as well. However, there is still much more opportunity for developing tools to help and support them in order to improve their productivity and independence in the workplace, as well as to enhance their quality of life.  
The Special Thematic Session on Disability and Employment is organized to address methods and tools to stimulate equal opportunity, treatment and inclusion of people with disabilities in training, rehabilitation and employment.
This can be done, by providing assistive devices that support manipulation and manual actions, by providing assistive devices or rehabilitation equipment to employers and employees for supporting them to maximise the work capacity, by identifying technologies and strategies for expanding access to employment and training initiatives aimed at overcoming disadvantages and barriers faced by people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups of users with specific disorders, as for example, people with Down syndrome, autism, forms of mental retardation, blind and visually impaired people and other development defects, people recovering from stokes and infarcts.
Assistive devices should help to improve the quality of life of these people, and maintain their sense of independence in the workplace by improving their skills and secure productive employment. Examples of assistive devices are:

  • devices that help and supporting while performing cutting operations in different materials, for example: wood, foam, etc. ;
  • devices that support sketching, hatching and writing or typing tasks;
  • devices that support drilling, turning, milling and engraving;
  • devices that enables Down people to access, interact with and use computers at home, work or school;
  • devices designed to reduce the probability of repetitive stress associated with work related situations.

Topics addressed by the Special Thematic Session are the following (but are not limited):

  • Mechanical and mechatronic devices
  • Assistive devices or rehabilitation equipment
  • Advanced technology walking products (Prosthesis, exoskeletons )
  • Multimodal interfaces
  • Low Cost Haptic devices
  • Case studies related to disability and employment
  • Methods for performance assessment

Obviously, safety issues related to the use of the devices must be addresses.

Portrait Mario CovarrubiasMario Covarrubias, Politecnico di Milano, I

Portrait Monica Bordegoni Monica Bordegoni, Politecnico di Milano, I

Portrait Umerto Cugini Umberto Cugini, Politecnico di Milano, I

Submission:
Contributions to a STS have to be submitted using the standard submission procedures of ICCHP at:
ICCHP Conference Tool

When submitting your contribution please make sure to select the right STS under the category "STS/Session".
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Please get in contact with the STS chairs for discussing your involvement and pre-evaluation of your contribution.

Submission Deadline: February 1, 2014