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Background: Easy availability, low cost, and low radiation exposure make chest radiography an ideal modality for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) detection. Objective(s): In this study, we propose the use of an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to automatically detect abnormalities associated with COVID-19 on chest radiographs. We aimed to evaluate the performance of the algorithm against the interpretation of radiologists to assess its utility as a COVID-19 triage tool. Material(s) and Method(s): The study was conducted in collaboration with Kaushalya Medical Trust Foundation Hospital, Thane, Maharashtra, between July and August 2020. We used a collection of public and private datasets to train our AI models. Specificity and sensitivity measures were used to assess the performance of the AI algorithm by comparing AI and radiology predictions using the result of the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction as reference. We also compared the existing open-source AI algorithms with our method using our private dataset to ascertain the reliability of our algorithm. Result(s): We evaluated 611 scans for semantic and non-semantic features. Our algorithm showed a sensitivity of 77.7% and a specificity of 75.4%. Our AI algorithm performed better than the radiologists who showed a sensitivity of 75.9% and specificity of 75.4%. The open-source model on the same dataset showed a large disparity in performance measures with a specificity of 46.5% and sensitivity of 91.8%, thus confirming the reliability of our approach. Conclusion(s): Our AI algorithm can aid radiologists in confirming the findings of COVID-19 pneumonia on chest radiography and identifying additional abnormalities and can be used as an assistive and complementary first-line COVID-19 triage tool.Copyright © Cancer Research, Statistics, and Treatment.
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As more homes become digitally connected the use of assistive technologies to support the operation in the home environment especially when one thinks of the elderly and the sick, our research shows that there is a gap in the literature with respect to the measure of the effectiveness of the use of these assistive technologies to support the home as a smart home. We conduct quantitative usability experiments supported by a conceptual human interaction framework to assess this effectiveness. We conduct as proof of concept these experiments with the use of a Google mini automated assistant and an internet ready light bulb sensor , to determine the responsiveness to the human voice, at different location proximities around the home, and the correctness to these responses to qualify the effectiveness argument. In this study the authors use their primary residence amidst the COVID19 pandemic to demonstrate the type of concerns. Our explicit contributions in this study are (i) A systematic review of the literature in this area (ii) the design of the smart home network environment with the google mini assistant and light ulb sensor that supports the human voice interactions (iii) Identify a suitable conceptual human interaction framework to support the use of the smart devices connected within the home users environment to support our experiments (iv) Provide critical case evaluation of the measure of effectiveness of the usability experiments supported by this conceptual framework. © 2023 IEEE.
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PURPOSE: To reduce the burden of Alzheimer's disease, the use of assistive technologies for patients and their informal caregivers is considered essential. However, these technologies are made as "one size fits all" instead of being tailored to accommodate people with varying degrees of cognitive impairment and those with diverse races/ethnicities. Thus, the aim of this survey was to determine whether the types of assistance needed most, and the technology used by those with cognitive impairment differed by race (White/non-Hispanics, Black or African Americans, and Hispanic/Latinos or Puerto Ricans) and severity of dementia (mild, moderate, severe). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: One hundred and eighty informal caregivers of people with different levels of severity of cognitive impairment and several different races/ethnicities filled out an online survey regarding assistance needed and technologies used. RESULTS: The results show that racial minorities considered the needs for assistance with Basic Activities of Daily Living as more important compared to White/non-Hispanics with mild dementia. Furthermore, Hispanic/Latinos or Puerto Ricans and White/non-Hispanics with severe dementia were shown to use technology that is designed to help with Instrumental Activities of Daily Living more than those with moderate dementia. Lastly, during COVID-19, devices to assist with walking, preparing meals and personal hygiene have been used significantly more by White/non-Hispanics with severe dementia compared to Hispanic/Latinos or Puerto Ricans. CONCLUSION: The results point to the need to design for those with severe dementia, regardless of race, and should focus on addressing needs related to both Instrumental and Basic Activities of Daily Living.
Developers of assistive technology should consider designing technology that can accommodate all severity levels of cognitive impairment.More research is needed to determine the usability of assistive technology that is designed for those with cognitive impairments.
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Communication has been a struggle for everyone since the covid outbreak and in the aftermath, people have had to get accustomed to video conferencing applications. However people with physical or mental limitations are still unable to use video conferencing apps and their interfaces. This necessitates the development of web-based video chat applications. These applications can aid those who are unable to communicate verbally and/or operate using standard mouse and keyboard inputs, but yet need to feel close to others when they are apart. The proposed application incorporates various accessibility features such as speech-to-text and text-to-speech, gaze tracking and pictorial speech interfaces. It enables individuals with disabilities to participate in virtual meetings on an equal footing with their peers. The goal is to remove barriers and promote inclusiveness in remote work and collaboration for all users, regardless of their abilities using this application.
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Introduction: One in six adults are affected by hearing loss, and this number increases with age.(1) Inadequate communication is a barrier to the delivery of effective care for people with hearing loss.(2) Communication regarding medicines is particularly relevant to the pharmaceutical care of older people who are more likely to be living with hearing loss, have multiple comorbidities and experience polypharmacy, a risk factor for adverse drug events. This study sought to explore factors that facilitate and impede communication with people with age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) in the community pharmacy, to provide a base upon which to identify solutions/ interventions to improve these interactions. Aim(s): To explore the barriers and facilitators to effective communication with people with age-related hearing loss in the community pharmacy setting. Method(s): This qualitative study consisted of semistructured interviews with people with age-related hearing loss (presbycusis), older people (>50 years old) without hearing loss, and focus groups and interviews with community pharmacists, conducted between March - June 2022. Participants were recruited purposively via advert and snowballing. Interviews and focus groups were conducted using Microsoft Teams or Zoom;two interviews were held by telephone. Data was analysed using the framework method. Result(s): Sixteen people with age-related hearing loss and three older people without hearing loss took part. Eight community pharmacists took part across two focus groups and one interview. Four main themes were identified. The first was 'grappling with the environment'. This theme reflects the multitude of environmental barriers to communication and person-centred pharmaceutical care such as heavy workload, time constraints, lack of privacy, noise levels and Covid-19 safety measures on communication. The second was 'promoting acknowledgment and inclusion of hearing loss in the pharmacy'. This theme captures the perception among patients that their hearing loss is not relevant to the community pharmacy setting and that more could be done to signify that a pharmacy recognises the needs of those with hearing loss. Third, 'patient perceptions and use of community pharmacy services'. This theme highlights the awareness and perceptions of the role of the pharmacy that is, primarily or exclusively as a place to collect prescriptions and the limited interaction with pharmacy personnel. The final theme was 'differing perceptions of patients and pharmacists about communication'. This theme articulates the varying patient-provider perceptions about communication and levels of awareness among pharmacists about the key facilitators to communication. Conclusion(s): This study garnered rich insights about the experiences of accessing and providing pharmaceutical care for people with age-related hearing loss within the community pharmacy setting. However, due to the Covid- 19 pandemic, data collection was chiefly conducted online and the findings cannot be considered reflective of the experiences of older people facing digital exclusion. There is clearly a need to improve pharmacists' awareness of, access to and implementation of strategies, adaptations, and assistive technologies to facilitate communication with people with hearing loss. Future research should identify interventions to support the implementation of strategies/adaptations that are tailored to the needs of people with hearing loss and pharmacists in order to engender hearing-friendly community pharmacies.
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The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to better understand how video calling technology can provide face-to-face experiences that support meaningful social connections among older results living in a naturally organized retirement community. This study aimed to understand the experiences of older adults who used video calling technology to engage in social activities and communicate with friends and family. The researcher used a purposeful sampling of 12 participants (members) from the Villages NW, an organization that provides supportive services for older adults who want to age in their homes. The interview data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results showed that face-to-face online communications through video calling technology supported social connections and mitigated loneliness while social distancing. The study findings highlighted the need for innovative resources that support older adults' well-being and safety. More specifically, a close examination of how technology, such as video calling devices or apps, can help older adults actively engage in activities essential for their well-being and experience meaningful connections with friends and family. Lastly, further research should be conducted advocating the accessibility to assistive technology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
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The dementia community faces major challenges in social engagements, which have been further complicated by the prolonged physical distancing measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Designing digital tools for in-person social sharing in family and care facility settings has been well explored, but comparatively little HCI work has focused on the design of community-based social technologies for virtual settings. We present our virtual fieldwork on remote social activities explored by one dementia community in response to the impacts of the pandemic. Building upon our previously published on-site fieldwork in this community, we expand on our initial publication by follow-up interviewing caregivers and facilitators and reflecting on a virtual social program. Through thematic analysis and contrasting in-person and online formats of the program, we deepened the understanding of virtual social engagements of the dementia community, examining their efforts to leverage physical objects and environments, enhance open and flexible experiences, and expand collaborative space. We propose to open new design opportunities through holistic approaches, including reimagining community social spaces, rethinking agency in people with dementia and caregivers, and diversifying HCI support across communities and stakeholders. © 2023 Copyright held by the owner/author(s). Publication rights licensed to ACM.
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BACKGROUND: While employers plan how to restructure working practices after the initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential that the disability community are represented in research addressing telework; their expertise is invaluable for ensuring equity from the outset. OBJECTIVE: The current study qualitatively investigated how people with physical disabilities negotiate telework in a post-COVID era. METHODS: Ten participants with a range of physical disabilities were recruited and interviewed. Themes were generated from the data utilising an established method of reflexive inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Increased flexibility as well as control over work schedules and the environment facilitated by teleworking, improved participants' disability management, health, work performance, and personal opportunities. However, the importance of choice to work in-office, of implementing additional physical and virtual work adjustments, and of flexible work patterns to remove barriers to accessibility when homeworking was emphasised. Active efforts by employers to create an inclusive and flexible work culture were identified as crucial to ensure that integration and professional development of employees with disabilities, understanding of disability experience, and normalisation of accessibility needs are not diminished by the decreased visibility incurred by teleworking. CONCLUSION: Teleworking is not a panacea for resolving the disability employment disadvantage. Rather, teleworking could be a springboard upon which further flexibility and choice can be built to shift organisational practices to better accommodate individual employees, with and without disabilities, post-COVID. It is imperative to act on such insights to create accessible workplaces to facilitate more inclusive workforces.
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This study aimed to explore nurses' perceptions towards care robots and their work experiences in caring for older adults who use socially assistive technology. This qualitative descriptive study included 18 nurses who cared for older adults with dementia or living alone at home. Interviews via Zoom were conducted, and the collected data were analyzed using inductive content analysis. The three themes were identified: (1) perceived benefits, (2) perceived challenges, and (3) improvements needed to enhance the quality of care. The participants perceived that the care robot and socially assistive technology were useful in caring for older adults during COVID-19. However, they noted that the limited capabilities of the technology and an increased workload negatively impacted the quality of care for older adults. The findings of this study indicated that socially assistive technology and care robots have potential benefits in assisting older adults with dementia or living alone.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Dementia , Nurses , Robotics , Self-Help Devices , Humans , Aged , PerceptionABSTRACT
During the COVID-19 outbreak, all the physical classes suspended, and switched to online learning. The new era of learning presented several challenges for the teachers and students. The students did not have the opportunity to participate in the classroom activities successfully as a physical class due to a lack of educational creativity, a lack of digital tools, and a dependency on the internet. Strengthening self-directed learning and improving the technical infrastructure are required, to advance innovation-centric education from "teaching" to "learning" and to develop digital literacy. By incorporating technology into classroom instruction everyone can understand the concepts and realize their right to education. The recent technological advances in deep learning are referred to as Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). The GANs used as an Assistive Technology (AT) to generate the sequence of images of the descriptive input text. The goal of this review is the Visual Storytelling by utilizing the Text-to-Image GAN which strengthens self-directed learning through visualization and improve the critical thinking, and logical reasoning. © 2022 IEEE
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Inclusive employment opportunities for individuals living with disabilities have been an ongoing issue in society, creating barriers and challenges for this community. Digital assistive technologies (DAT) are, and continue to be, helpful tools in aiding in this inclusivity, but they have not always been accessible to all. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, where online work became the "new normal", has bought this into sharp focus, giving individuals access and the ability to utilize different online tools that support individuals living with various disabilities in doing work. To better understand the current context concerning DATs and remote working for individuals living with disabilities, we conducted a scoping review in 2021/2022. We identified relevant papers that aided in identifying validated digital assistive technologies. Our study aims to continue supporting individuals living with disabilities to access the technology needed to join, or remain within, the workforce and work towards dismantling barriers that prevent this. © 2023 Owner/Author.
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During COVID-19, technology has frequently mediated schools' emergency remote learning. Tragically, many of those technologies, despite legal requirements to the contrary, are inaccessible to disabled youth-a pattern of oppression within compulsory education that predates the pandemic by almost two decades and is rooted in ableism. In this paper, I advance a new interdisciplinary framework-Accessibility4Equity (A4E)-that integrates existing single-discipline theories to explain the messy interactions among human and non-human actors engaged in learning that is equitable and accessible to disabled youth within the context of compulsory education. A4E asserts that equitable technology-mediated education is (1) constructed by educators and disabled people collaboratively cripping discourse and practice through sociotechnical praxis, (2) born technologically and pedagogically accessible;and (3) requires institutions to have the capacity to cultivate access intimacy and swiftly respond to individual needs. Hence, A4E is a framework that scholars and practitioners can use to begin the complex social change that is required to disrupt the unjust status quo and reimagine technology-mediated compulsory education as a place that values and is hospitable to disabled youth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
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This article reports the first group-based intervention study in the UK of using speech to-text (STT) technology to improve the writing of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Over a period of five years, thirty children took part in total from three settings; a mainstream school, a special school and a special unit of a different mainstream school. All children had Education, Health and Care Plans because of their difficulties in spoken and written communication. Children were trained to use the Dragon STT system, and used it on set tasks for 16-18 weeks. Handwritten text and self-esteem were assessed before and after the intervention, and screen-written text at the end. The results showed that this approach had boosted the quantity and quality of handwritten text, with post-test screen-written text significantly better than handwritten at post-test. The self-esteem instrument also showed positive and statistically significant results. The findings support the feasibility of using STT to support children with writing difficulties. All the data were gathered before the Covid-19 pandemic; the implications of this, and of the innovative research design, are discussed.
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COVID-19 , Disabled Persons , Child , Humans , Speech , Pandemics , WritingABSTRACT
Since the 1960s, many electronic travel aids have been developed for people with low vision or blindness to improve their independent travel skills, but uptake of these specialist devices has been limited. This study investigated what technologies orientation and mobility (O&M) clients in Australia and Malaysia have, use, like, and want to support their travel, to inform technology research and development. This two-phase mixed-methods study surveyed O&M clients face-to-face in Malaysia (n = 9), and online in Australia (n = 50). Participants managed safe walking using a human guide, long cane, or guide dog when their vision was insufficient to see hazards, but a smartphone is now a standard travel aid in both Australia and Malaysia. Participants relied on smartphone accessibility features and identified 108 apps they used for travel: for planning (e.g., public transport timetables), sourcing information in transit (e.g., GPS location and directions, finding a taxi), sensory conversion (e.g., camera-to-voice, voice-to-text, video-to-live description), social connections (e.g., phone, email, Facebook), food (e.g., finding eateries, ordering online), and entertainment (e.g., music, games). They wanted to ‘carry less junk', and sought better accessibility features, consistency across platforms, and fast, reliable, real-time information that supports confident, non-visual travel, especially into unfamiliar places. © The Author(s) 2021.
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Visually impaired people require support with regular tasks including navigating, detecting obstacles, and maintaining safety, especially in both indoor and outdoor environments. As a result of the advancement of assistive technology, their lives have become substantially more convenient. Here, cutting-edge assistive devices and technologies for the visually impaired are reviewed, along with a chronology of their evolution. These methodologies are classified according to their intended applications. The taxonomy is combined with a description of the tests and experiments that can be used to examine the characteristics and assessments of assistive technology. In addition, the algorithms used in assistive devices are examined. This paper looks at solar industry innovations and promotes using renewable energy sources to create assistive devices, as well as, addresses the sudden advent of COVID-19 and the shift in the development of assistive devices. This review can serve as a stepping stone for further research on the topic. Copyright © 2022 The Author(s)
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For rural locations, the use of remote learning may provide schools the opportunity to meet student needs without requiring students to travel long distances to access services. It is critical that teachers of students with disabilities understand how to support learning and know how to use the accommodations, modifications, and assistive technologies listed in student Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in online classrooms. Students with language disabilities sometimes require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems to effectively communicate. This article provides teachers with practical tips of teaching students to use AAC online and supporting its continued use in the virtual classroom.
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There are 240 million children with disabilities in the world, half of them are out of school. Many are invisible, stigmatized, hidden by their families and abandoned by their governments. Children with disabilities, especially in humanitarian settings, are among the poorest members of the population and one of the most marginalized and excluded groups in society. With only an estimated 1 in 10 children with a need for assistive devices having access, UNICEF's Office of Research -- Innocenti undertook a study to better understand the nature and drivers of Assistive Technology (AT) access in humanitarian settings. This document provides a synthesis of the project's various reports and papers: (1) a thematic literature review summarizes the academic evidence base regarding the provision of AT in humanitarian settings, including the nature and scale of provision and barriers and facilitators of access and provision, and (2) three case studies of countries affected by crisis to triangulate the findings of the literature review and fill identified knowledge gaps with real-world examples: Afghanistan, South Sudan, and the State of Palestine. [For the literature review, see ED620416. For the Afghanistan and South Sudan case studies, see ED620403 and ED620415, respectively.]
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Due to the impacts of the ongoing conflict, Afghanistan's child population is at high risk of being born with or acquiring a primary or secondary disability. According to a recent estimate, up to 17% of Afghanistan's children live with some form of disability. Assistive Technologies -- the systems, services and products that enhance the functioning of people with impairments -- are likely to be required by a large proportion of children with disabilities in Afghanistan. Afghanistan has signed and ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which includes a commitment to provide assistive technologies equitably to all who need it. However, little action has been taken to meet this commitment, and there continues to be a vast gap between need and provision. This work presents the the barriers and facilitators to provision and provides recommendations to begin to close the gap.
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OBJECTIVE: This rapid review aims to identify the types of technologies used by people with dementia and their supporters during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the issues which influenced technology adoption within their usual care routines. METHODS: PubMed, PsychInfo, Scopus, and Cochrane COVID reviews were searched to identify peer-review studies published since 2020. A total of 18 studies were included and synthesised thematically. RESULTS: Of these, most were conducted in the community (n = 15) with people with dementia only (n = 11) and involved qualitative methods (n = 11). The majority (n = 12) focused on digital off-the-shelf and low-cost solutions, such as free video conferencing platforms, to access care, socialise or take part in interventions. Whilst often well-accepted and associated with positive outcomes (such as improved social connectedness), lack of digital literacy or support to use technologies, limited access to appropriate technology, individuals' physical, cognitive, or sensory difficulties, were highlighted and likely to threaten the adoption of these solutions. The quality of the evidence was mixed, neither very robust nor easily generalisable which may be attributed to the challenges of conducting research during the pandemic or the need to rapidly adapt to a new reality. CONCLUSION: While COVID-19 has fast-tracked the adoption of technology, its use is likely to continue beyond the pandemic. We need to ensure this technology can leverage dementia support and care and that people with dementia are enabled and empowered to use it.
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Our article addresses how our not-for-profit organization responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by shifting our paradigm, in how we deliver programs. We created virtual programs and have been delivering them via the Zoom platform, to provide education and training to individuals adjusting to vision loss, and their family members.