Research and development of adaptive equipment for persons with significant disabilities and the elderly: activities conducted by the Neil Squire Foundation

Issue title: Research and Development – Part II

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Birch, Gary^{; *} | Watzke, James | Bolduc, Crystal

Affiliations: Neil Squire Foundation 220-2250 Boundary Road, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5M 4L9

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author.

Abstract: This article presents an overview of the major R&D initiatives at the Neil Squire Foundation based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Five projects are highlighted and include a remote gateway environmental control system, a keyboard/mouse emulator, a robotic system, a voice recognition product, and a speech assisted reading and writing program. These R&D activities illustrate the Foundation's commitment to developing products that enhance the employability, independence, and quality of life of adults with disabilities of all ages, i.e., in an attempt to ‘level the playing field’. The benefits to users towards the achievement of this important goal for each project are also described.

Keywords: Adaptive equipment, Disability and lifespan, Environmental control, Enabling technology, Research and development

DOI: 10.3233/TAD-1995-4209

Journal: Technology and Disability, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 169-173, 1995