D3: Emerging & Accessible Healthcare Technologies

Motivation

Many healthcare experts feel that society is on the verge of a paradigm shift in healthcare that will be sparked in part by technological innovation [1]. As wireless and information technologies continue to advance, the medical device industry will change. Such change provides a window of opportunity for systems change that could yield interfaces that are more accessible for persons will disabilities. This RERC must be engaged in anticipating future trends, and proactively develop and demonstrate medical technology interfaces that are more accessible. This project monitors technical developments, and develops and demonstrates standards-based approaches for designing interfafes for medical diagnostic, therapeutic and procedural equipment and assistive technology that integrates with telesupport technology and moves toward universally usable interfaces. The primary focus of the program is on medical monitoring technologies.

The specific motivation behind Project D3.1 (Access to Interoperable Monitoring and Therapy with Integrated Telesupport) are two key challenges:

• The need for convenient and timely access to health management and support services (especially when equipment is used in the home, which is occurring with increasing frequency)
• The need for cross-product integration (especially persons with multiple impairments or diseases)

The specific motivation behind Project D3.2 (Modality Translation & Cross-Disability Interfaces for Communication) is that user-centered, universally usable interfaces could could have a significant impact on the design of future medical instrumentation, particularly for use by diverse populations. To effectively produce guidelines and impact the development of standards and policies such as in medical instrumentation telecommunication, it is imperative that this RERC participate in this technical development process to ensure that people with disabilities are not forgotten. In collaboration with other parties (e.g., other RERCs), project staff will participate in the development of modality translation and telehealth interface systems and techniques.