Defining research priorities in the field of
accessible and assistive ICT
Patrick Roe
LEMA-EPFL, Switzerland
AEGIS, 1st International Conference, 7-8.10.2010
ROADMAPPING PROJECT
Structure of presentation
• Presentation of CARDIAC project
• Road-mapping methodology
Coordination Action in R&D in Accessible and Assistive ICT
01.03.2010 – 28.02.2013
CARDIAC
Core Objective
Advise the European Commission as to where to direct research funding in the near and more distant future within the context of ICT for independent living, inclusion and
governance
Potential long term impact
Increase the amount of products and services avalaible on the market in the field of
Accessible and Assistive ICT
Issues to be addressed
• Future research priorities
- Inclusive human-machine interaction
- Network-based applications
• Development and design aspects
• Making the business case, roadmap for successful technology-transfer
CARDIAC Partners
EPFL, Switzerland
CNTI, Cyprus
CRC, Ireland
EPV-EHU, Spain
CNR-IFAC, Italy
FTB, Germany
JGT, UK
SmH, The Netherlands
IFI-UIO, Norway
IIT, Israel
ICS-FORTH, Greece
ATC-US, Spain
UTL-FMH, Portugal
GSA, Australia
Overall Structure
WP5
Dissemination
WP1
Technology transfer
How to achieve
accessibility
WP2
Road-mapping
WP6
Management
WP4
Network-based
applications
WP3
Inclusive Human-
machine interaction
Block of 3 WPs where all partenrs are involved
Special
Advisory
Board
Rationale for WP on Technology-transfer
• Successful transfer to market of AT products and services still a major issue
• Making the business case is a complex issue involving many different stakeholders
Need for a road-map outlining research priorities to achieve successful technology-transfer
Rationale for WP on Inclusive Human-machine interaction
• Emergence of Ambient Intelligence (AmI)
• Evolution towards ’Natural’ interfaces
• Understanding the possibilities of Human-Computer interaction (HCI)
Need for a road-map outlining research priorities towards achieving inclusive HCI
Rationale for WP on Network Based Application (2)
The network can be seen at 4 different levels:
• As a repository of information
• As a repository of a basic support to people with activity limitations (see ‘Raising the Floor Initiative and NPII)
• As a socialising virtual environment
• As an explicit support to people
Rationale for WP on Network Based Applications (3)
Aspects to be considered:
• Ambient intelligence
• Mobility and ubiquity
• Interoperability
• Mainstreaming and design-for-all
• Possible impact of the use of open-source methods
• Relevance in different application environments
Rationale for WP on Network Based Applications (4)
Need for a road-map highlighting the R&D activities needed to enhance integration through the use of network services and applications
How ?
• Consultation with all relevant stakeholders
• Structured process for generating road-maps known as:
Structured Dialogic Design Process (SDDP)
Acknowledgements to and Christakis A.N and Laouris, Y.
Key Phases of SDDP
1. Identification of relevant stakeholders.
2. Engagement and consultation with the relevant
stakeholders in order to draft the triggering
question.
3. Drafting of a report with the background
material needed to support and prepare the SDDP
meeting
4. The SDDP Meeting
5. Production of road-map report
6. Dissemination of results.
SDDP-Meeting
• Gather factors from participants
• Cluster factors
• Vote on factors
• Explore links
• Create road-map
Example of road-map
Factor 24: Show examples of
where designing inclusively has
been good for business
Factor 37: Seek to influence specifications or
regulations that ensure the rights of disabled people
Factor 5: Include accessibility and universal design
concepts in all the pre graduate curricula
Factor 42: Development of an R&D program including
technology and services for people with disabilities and
older people
Lev el IV
Lev el III
Lev el II
Lev el I
Factor 34: Re-introduce
innovation in assistive
technology
Lev el V
Lev el VI
Factor 25: Unify the disability community around a
clear set of expectations, requirements and
principles as an agenda for industry
Factor 26: Prov ide empirical rather than anecdotal ev idence that
evaluation/testing makes products easier to use for every one
Factor 47:Provide an opportunity
which key business stakeholders,
disability organizations and regulators
can meet openly to discuss relevant
issues were attendance is guaranteed
Factor 43: Use the universal
service green paper as a
lever to produce a statement
of aims
Factor 33: Establish accurate
marketing figures on numbers of
people that can be included by
inclusive design
Factor 9: Develop a meaningful
business case for industry for
inclusive design without using
the word disability
Factor 15: Educate disability organizations on
techniques to systematically quantify the likely
take-up of new systems or services
Factor 8: Teach companies how to run,
develop and organize elderly and
disabled user groups for new product
development
Factor 14: Find ways of influencing
public attitudes to create a political
will for actions
Factor 20: Push the European level
inclusive laws and standards that can
not be avoided by European countries
Factor 2: Create an agreement
between the handicap
community about accessibility
concerning products and
services and market potential
Lev el VII
Factor 1: Help formulate specific
design requirements from user
needs
Factor 3:Hold workshops in each country
inviting disability representatives to agree
on a common set of accessibility measures
Factor 11: Engaging with manufacturers to influence the design
process to incorporate accessibility, testing/evaluation
Factor 22: Initiate standards work specifying solutions for
disabled people
Factor 4: To make effort of
conceiving applications that
address real user needs
Factor 28: Analyze best
practices, and learn from
them
Main Events
1. 1st SDDP on “Technology Transfer”
28-30 October 2010, Cyprus
Wiki: http://cyprus-virtual-sdd-
cardiac.wikispaces.com
1. 2nd SDDP on “Inclusive human-machine
interaction” June 2011, Spain
2. 3rd SDDP on “Network-based applications”
May 2012, Florence
3. Final Event and SDDP, January 2013
Conclusions
The coordination Action CARDIAC
should be seen as a unique
opportunity for all stakeholders to
generate a pathway towards a common vision of greater integration and
inclusion and to define together the
research priorities required to achieve this vision