More specifically, assistive technology is the application of technology to assist people with disabilities in their activities.
Assistive technology helps people with physical, mental, or age-related disabilities.
These principles are spreading as academic and commercial design standards, and more and more product designers are considering the universality of their designs. Universal design calls for products to be designed for all the conditions of life, not just healthy young adults or working age males. It needs to be fully accepted that functional ability decreases with age, and that some injury and disabilities are a function of life. Good design embraces virtually all potential users. Good design should consider the needs of all users.