Assistive technologies for people with disabilities : in-depth analysis.
Date: 2018-02-22
Institutions: Directorate-General for Parliamentary Research Services
Subjects: disabled person, discrimination based on disability, facilities for people with disabilities, human rights, independence of people with disabilities, integration of people with disabilities, international agreement, medical device, mental illness, new technology, physically disabled person, worker with disabilities

Assistive
technologies
for people with
disabilities

IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS

Science and Technology Options Assessment

EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service
Scientific Foresight Unit (STOA)
PE 603.218

Assistive technologies for people with disabilities

In-depth analysis

IP/G/STOA/FWC/2013-001/LOT 6/C3

January 2018

Abstract

Assistive technologies (ATs) are designed to improve the functional capabilities of people with
disabilities.  Some  are  relatively  low-tech  and  very  familiar,  such  as  such  as  reading  glasses,
crutches  and  hearing  aids.  Others  are  more  advanced,  using  cutting-edge  science  and
technology, with future ATs under development that could have a huge impact on all our lives.

The focus in this study is on ATs for three specific disabilities: blindness and visual impairments,
deafness  and  hearing  impairments, and  autism  spectrum  disorders.  These three  disabilities
exhibit both similarities and differences in terms of their implications for ATs. A description of
the regulatory environment, including international agreements and EU regulations regarding
disabilities and technologies, is followed by four case studies on Germany, Hungary, Portugal
and  Sweden. The  study  includes  a review  of the ATs  currently  available and future  ATs  at
various stages of development, and also a survey of people from each disability group, focusing
upon  their  perspectives  and  needs  with  regard  to  ATs.  This is supplemented  by  expert
interviews and a stakeholder workshop.

Through this combination of primary and secondary research, several social, technical, ethical,
demographic, regulatory, economic and environmental trends are identified. These are used to
compile four explorative scenarios about the future of ATs, and to develop social, ethical and
legal reflections on the role of current and future initiatives of the European Parliament.

The  study  finds that  current  and future  ATs  could  have  a  positive  impact,  but identifies
problems with one-size-fits-all approaches. Alone, ATs are insufficient to foster a more inclusive
society. While waiting for future ATs, more can be done to make effective use of current ATs
and implement existing regulatory frameworks. Other steps include targeting wide attitudinal
and social change, encouraging co-creation of future ATs, and promoting the emergence of AT
professionals.

PE 603.218

STOA – Science and Technology Options Assessment

This document presents the key insights of the STOA project 'Assistive technologies for the inclusion of
people  with  disabilities  in  society,  education  and  jobs'. The  project  was  requested  by  the  European
Parliament's  Science  and  Technology  Options  Assessment  (STOA) panel.  It  was  carried  out by  the
European Technology Assessment Group (ETAG), led by the Institute for Technology Assessment and
Systems  Analysis  at  Karlsruhe  Institute  of  Technology  (ITAS/KIT)  and  including  Fraunhofer  ISI,  The
Institute  of  Technology  Assessment  (ITA)  and  Responsible  Technology  (RT),  and  managed  by  the
Scientific Foresight Unit (STOA) within the Directorate-General for Parliamentary Research Services (DG
EPRS) of the European Parliament.

MEMBERS OF THE PROJECT TEAM

Linda Nierling, Maria João Maia, Leonhard Hennen and Gregor Wolbring (ITAS/KIT)
Tanja Bratan and Piret Kukk (Fraunhofer ISI)
Johann Čas, Leo Capari, and Jaro Krieger-Lamina (ITA)
Emilio Mordini (RT)

AUTHOR

Philip Boucher
Scientific Foresight Unit (STOA)
Directorate for Impact Assessment and European Added Value
Directorate-General for Parliamentary Research Services
European Parliament, Rue Wiertz 60, B-1047 Brussels
E-mail: STOA@ep.europa.eu

LINGUISTIC VERSION

Original: EN

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

To contact STOA or to subscribe to its newsletter please write to: STOA@ep.europa.eu
This document is available on the Internet at: http://www.ep.europa.eu/stoa/
Manuscript completed in December 2017
Brussels, © European Union, 2018

DISCLAIMER

This document is prepared for, and addressed to, the Members and staff of the European Parliament as
background material to assist them in their parliamentary work. The content of the document is the sole
responsibility  of  its  author(s)  and  any  opinions  expressed  herein  should  not  be  taken  to  represent  an
official position of the Parliament.

Reproduction  and  translation  for  non-commercial  purposes  are  authorised,  provided  the  source is
acknowledged and the European Parliament is given prior notice and sent a copy.

PE 603.218
ISBN 978-92-846-2352-5
doi: 10.2861/422217
QA-06-17-411-EN-N

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Assistive technologies in Europe: legal and ethical reflections

Table of contents

1.

Introduction .....................................................................................................................................................3

2. Understanding blindness, deafness, and autism spectrum disorders .....................................................4

3.

The regulatory environment..........................................................................................................................5

4. Current and emerging assistive technologies..............................................................................................7

5.

6.

Perspectives on ATs ........................................................................................................................................9

Future trends..................................................................................................................................................11

7. Conclusions ....................................................................................................................................................15

1.

Introduction

Assistive  technologies  (ATs)  are  designed  to  improve  the  functional  capabilities  of  people  with
disabilities. Some are relatively low-tech and very familiar, such as such as reading glasses, crutches and
hearing  aids.  Others  are  more  advanced,  using  cutting-edge  science  and  technology. Future  ATs
currently under development could meanwhile have a huge impact on all our lives. While some ATs are
specialist  devices,  of  interest  only  to  people  with  specific  disabilities,  others  have  several  features  in
common  with  mainstream  technologies.  Indeed,  some  of  them  are  standard  mass  market  products,
configured  for  the  individual  user  just  like  any  other.  For  example,  tablet  computers  can  be  used  to
provide live sign-language interpretation. A number of niche AT applications have also developed into
mainstream  technologies.  These  include the text-to-speech and  verbal  command  functions  of
smartphones,  which  were  originally  developed  for  people  with  visual  impairments.  The  strong  links
between  assistive  and  mainstream  technologies  is  not  really  that  surprising  since all technologies  are
assistive. They all help people use their varied abilities to do the things that they want or need to do, from
commuting to cooking and communicating. However, as highlighted in a previous STOA publication,
even if ATs may help to overcome some barriers to inclusion, they can only go so far. While future ATs
might do more to help, there is no need to wait for them. Social action and existing technologies can be
deployed to start building a more inclusive society today.

In June 2015, STOA held an event to explore the role of ATs in fostering an inclusive environment for
people with disabilities. This led to a project on how current and future ATs can foster the inclusion of
people with disabilities in society, education and jobs. The project was launched in February 2016, and
ended in  September  2017.  It  followed  STOA's  fledgling foresight  methodology, which  starts  with  the
identification  of  broad  trends  and  their  potential  impacts,  before  moving  on  to  the  development  of
scenarios  to  support  the  exploration  of  possible  futures  and,  finally,  back  to  the  present  day  and
reflections on how it might be possible to prepare for and shape the future through European regulatory
instruments as well as other forms of action. The project was carried out by the European Technology
Assessment  Group  (ETAG),  led  by  the  Institute  for  Technology  Assessment  and  Systems  Analysis  at
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (ITAS/KIT) and including Fraunhofer ISI, The Institute of Technology
Assessment (ITA) and Responsible Technology (RT). The project findings are published in three parts,
Part I: Regulatory, health and demographic aspects, Part II: Current and emerging technologies, Part III:
Perceptions, needs  and opportunities and Part  IV:  Legal  and socio-ethical perspectives.  An  accessible
video that communicates the key findings is also available.

This briefing presents a summary of some of the study's key findings. It draws upon its three outputs,
which were written by the project team mentioned on page 2. First, it introduces the three disabilities

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STOA – Science and Technology Options Assessment

that are considered in the project, and presents an outline of the regulatory context at national, European
and international levels. The subsequent section describes current and emerging ATs for each of the three
disabilities, as well as some overall trends in the development of ATs. This is then followed by the results
of  a  survey  of  a  wide  range  of  current  and  potential  users  of  ATs  as  well  as  experts' insights  gained
through interviews and a workshop. The penultimate section describes some key future trends for ATs,
culminating in a set of scenarios and a legal analysis before the report concludes with reference to the
action that could be taken today to prepare for the ATs of tomorrow.

2. Understanding blindness, deafness, and autism spectrum

disorders

The focus for the study was ATs for three specific disabilities. The first, blindness and visual impairments,
ranges from mild disorders to severely limited visual perception and blindness. The second, deafness
and hearing impairments, also follows a scale from minor disorders and range limitations to more severe
impairment  and  deafness. Autism  spectrum  disorders  (ASD), the  third, are  lifelong  developmental
disabilities that vary from  Asperger syndrome,  where intelligence and verbal communication may  be
preserved while non-verbal communications skills such as eye contact and facial expression are affected,
to more severe disorders combining difficulties in communication and learning with hypersensitivity.

Read more about the causes and
effects of these three disabilities
in Part  I:  Regulatory,  health,
and demographic aspects.

Deafness  and  hearing  impairment  can  be  caused  by  a  range  of
disorders of the outer, middle and inner ear, the cochlea, cranial
nerve  or  central  auditory  system.  The  occurrence  of  hearing
impairments increased substantially between 1990 and 2010. This
may be correlated to the ageing population, since a clear link has
been  identified  between  hearing  loss  and  age  with  around  10 %  of  all  adults  suffering  some  form  of
hearing impairment, a figure that rises to 50 % for people in their 80s. However, it should be recognised
that  gradual  age-related  hearing  impairments  present  very  different  challenges  to  other  forms  of
deafness. Blindness and visual impairments can be caused by disorders of the external layer (the cornea
and  sclera), the  chamber  surrounding  the  eye,  or  the  inner  layer  (the  retina).  European  prevalence of
vision  loss  and  blindness is estimated at  2.9 %  and  0.3 %  respectively.  However,  loss  of  vision,  like
hearing  impairment,  correlates with  ageing, and  around  81 %  of  those  with  severe  impairments  or
blindness are over 50 years old. As such, the number of people with visual and auditory impairments is
expected to rise as the population ages. Severe and lifelong loss of vision needs to be considered alongside
more common visual impairments that can be easily corrected or treated. The causes and prevalence of
ASD, meanwhile, are not well known, although genetics are thought to play an important role. Usually,
ASDs manifest themselves early in life and, unlike blindness and deafness, their prevalence is not linked
with ageing.

Clearly,  the  three  disabilities  differ  in  their  causes  and  effects,  yet  they  share  some  common  ground.
While some individuals may show outward signs of their disability, e.g. in the use of guide dogs, all three
disabilities can be invisible to others. Most notably, each of the three disabilities can present barriers to
the individual's participation in society, education and employment. For example, they can hamper those
tasks that rely upon reading texts, participating in verbal conversation and engaging in complex social
interactions.  Another  common  theme  that  is  particularly important  for  this  study  is  identified  in  the
increasing use of assistive technologies to help overcome some of these barriers to participation. It will
also be seen that  mainstream technologies,  such as the smartphones that  many  people use on a daily
basis, are increasingly difficult to distinguish from technologies that are specifically designed to assist
people with disabilities.

There are also crucial differences between these disabilities however. For example, people with hearing
impairments often have a  better position  in  the  labour market  than those  with  visual impairments or
ASDs because their disability may appear later in life, once they have already established their careers.
While visual impairments also correlate strongly with ageing, the hearing impaired can also benefit from

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Assistive technologies in Europe: legal and ethical reflections

both assistive and mainstream technologies that enable their inclusion in the workplace to a greater extent
than many other people with disabilities. For example, in many workplaces, emails are now much more
common than phone calls. In general, people with congenital disabilities can find it harder to enter the
labour  market  in  the  first  place, this includes autistic  people  who  can  face  prejudice  from  the  earliest
stages of their working lives.

It  should  be  noted  here  that there  are  communities  that  reject  the  definition  of  disability  and  call  for
acceptance of their individual differences. For example, some members of the deaf community represent
themselves as a minority group with their own language, cultural traditions and heritage. Likewise, the
autism rights movement has rejected the association  of autism  with disease and disability, describing
ASDs as an expression of neurodiversity.

3. The regulatory environment

It is important to consider the regulatory environment in terms
of both assistive technologies and the inclusion of people with
disabilities in society, education and jobs. Relevant regulations
are present at international, EU and Member State levels. Higher
level regulations are subject to differences in interpretation and
implementation  across  Member  States,  leading  to  different
regulatory  environments  across  Europe.  The  present  study  includes  case  studies for four  countries –
Germany,  Hungary,  Portugal  and  Sweden – to  capture  some  of  these  differences.  Each  case  study
included reviews of academic and policy literature as well as interviews with experts.

Read  more  about  international,
European and national regulatory
context for people with disabilities
in Part  I:  Regulatory,  health,  and
demographic aspects.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD) came into force in May
2008 and was the first legally-binding international instrument to which the EU and its Member States
became party. Its 50 articles and principles build a comprehensive framework for the empowerment of
people  with  disabilities.  The  measures  target  non-discrimination  as  well  as  shifting  the  way  that
disabilities are considered in society, moving from a medical model, whereby people with disabilities
receive treatment and welfare towards a more social model, whereby provisions are made to ensure that
the environment is made accessible to people with disabilities as active and equal members of society.
This  change  of  perspective  effectively  repositions  the  problem  away  from  people's  impairment  to  the
barriers to their inclusion presented by their social and physical context. Following an EPRS analysis, the
CRPD does not establish new rights for people with disabilities, but reaffirms and codifies existing rights
while  providing  guidance  on  how  to  achieve  them,  e.g.  through  the  concept  of  reasonable
accommodation. Reasonable  accommodation refers  to  the  provision  of  different  treatment  for  people
with  different  (relevant)  circumstances  and  characteristics.  It  is  complementary  to  anti-discrimination
measures, which demand similar treatment for people who have similar (relevant) circumstances and
characteristics. In the CRPD, reasonable accommodation means making modifications and adjustments
to  ensure  that  people  with  disabilities  can  be  treated  on  an  equal  basis  without  imposing  a
disproportionate or undue burden upon the employer, the denial of which is considered to be a form of
discrimination.

At EU level, the CRPD is implemented via the European Disability Strategy (EDS), which builds upon
the experience of the earlier disability action plan to empower people with disabilities to enjoy their full
rights as EU citizens, and to remove the barriers presented by their everyday social and physical context.
The focus on autonomy and rights to full inclusion did not entail a radical, paradigm shift since previous
EU disability frameworks also took a rights-based approach. A report on the implementation of the EDS,
adopted by the EMPL committee in October 2017, called for comprehensive implementation of the CRPD
while highlighting the role of ATs in education and employment, and encouraging the EU institutions to
improve the accessibility of its meetings through current ATs while monitoring AT development with a
view towards improving accessibility in future.

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STOA – Science and Technology Options Assessment

Non-discrimination towards people with disabilities is part of the European Pillar of Social Rights, and
the EU is obliged to respect the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU including its Articles 21 and 26,
on  non-discrimination and the integration of persons with disabilities respectively. The Treaty on the
Functioning of the European Union includes Articles 10 and 19 on combating discrimination on the basis
of disability. There are also references to disability in European laws pertaining to more specific areas of
our  lives  that  fall  within  EU  competence,  including  transport  networks,  telecommunications  and  the
labour market. However, several sectors that are of great importance for the inclusion of people with
disabilities – such  as  social  security  and  education – fall  outside  the  jurisdiction  of  the  EU,  and  are
managed exclusively by the individual Member States.

In 2011, the EC announced the European Accessibility Act (EAA) which aims to harmonise accessibility
requirements  for  several  products  and  services  by  establishing  accessibility  principles,  rather  than
imposing specific technical specifications. While many stakeholders welcome the initiative in the context
of meeting the responsibilities set out in the CRPD, there are differing perspectives on how that should
be achieved and how implementation should be evaluated. An analysis for the PETI committee set out
the  views  of  several  key  actors  and  recommended that  the act  also  cover  payment  terminals  and
household  electronic  appliances.  While  the  EAA  does  not  focus  on  ATs,  it  is  part  of  a  wider  trend
whereby assistive and mainstream technologies are increasingly assistive.

Some ATs are classified as medical devices and are, therefore, covered by the Medical Devices Directive.
This imposes higher criteria on the devices, which may lead to improvements but also makes it more
expensive and time consuming to reach the market. Classification as a medical device may also affect the
perceived value of a technology.

Rules governing technologies are also an important part of the regulatory context of ATs. It is important
to  consider  the  data  protection  and  privacy  challenges  that  face the many  producers  and  users  of
technologies.  These  are  particularly  important  in  the  context  of  ATs  because  the  data  might  be
particularly sensitive.

In this project, four countries were selected, taking care to include old and new Member States, different
geographical regions, country sizes, cultures, economic performance and regulatory contexts for ATs.
Each  of  these  countries  has  adopted  the  CRPD,  including  legislation  to combat discrimination  and
promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in society, as well as further measures in more specific
fields such as employment, housing, and healthcare. However, the CRPD and other anti-discrimination
rules  do  not  have  uniform  compliance  and  their  effectiveness  can  be  uneven,  leading  to  substantial
variations between countries. There are several reasons for this, including the cultural, social, economic,
demographic, legal and other differences between Member States, the fact that they can interpret and
implement EU regulations in different ways, and the fact that they retain full control over education and
other  key  aspects  of  citizens' lives.  These  divergences  are  further  intensified  by  various  gaps  and
misalignments in the implementation and enforcement of laws once they are put into place.

There  are  also  several  features  which vary substantially  between  different  regulatory  frameworks,
leading to widely divergent experiences of people with the same disabilities in different Member States.
For example, with regard the fundamental legal status of people with disabilities, in Sweden, people with
disabilities possess full legal capacity with access to decision-making support where necessary, while in
Portugal,  on  the  other  hand,  people  under  guardianship  may  have  limited  rights  to  enter  into  legal
commitments regardless of the presence of mental handicaps.

The authors of the study describe the policy frameworks in Germany and Sweden as more decentralised
and flexible than those of Hungary and Portugal, which means they are more capable of responding to
the individual needs of their citizens. While the policy framework itself in Hungary and Portugal was
described as 'well adapted', there are difficulties in assigning resources to improve the living conditions
and social integration of people with disabilities. Different models of financing the provision of ATs for
people with disabilities are observed across the four countries. In Portugal, there is relatively little public
funding for ATs, so the costs are covered by people with disabilities and their families. In Hungary, ATs

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Assistive technologies in Europe: legal and ethical reflections

are  most  often  provided  by  NGOs  and  the  budgets  for  them  are  limited.  In  Germany  and  Sweden,
financial resources are dedicated to ATs but the level of support varies depending upon the individual
needs of the person.

4. Current and emerging assistive technologies

The following sections describe some of the key ATs for blindness,
deafness and ASDs, in each case reviewing the range of ATs that are
currently  available  before  moving  on  to  describe  emerging
technologies and the ATs that may become available in the future.
The chapter then concludes with a sketch of broad trends in ATs and
some overall reflections.

Read  more  about  trends  in
ATs  in Part  II:  Current  and
emerging technologies.

4.1. Current and future ATs for the blind and visually impaired

There  are  several  types  of  AT  currently  available  to  assist  the  blind  and  visually  impaired.  Many  are
designed to convey information via touch or sound that would more often be received visually. Some of
the best-known ATs for the blind and visually impaired are 'haptic aids', based upon the sensation of
touch.  These  include  traditional  low-tech  devices  such  as  white  canes  and  Braille  texts,  as  well  as
embossed  or  tactile  maps  and  textured  surfaces  to  support  navigation.  There  are  also  more  high-tech
equivalents of these haptic aids, such as advanced Braille applications, smart/advanced canes and haptic
computer devices. Another way of categorising ATs for the blind and deaf depends upon the level of
independence  achieved  by  the  individual.  Primary  aids  provide  sufficient  information  for  blind  or
visually impaired travellers to achieve tasks safely and independently. Taking the example of travel and
navigation, these include traditional canes and modern obstacle and object location detectors, combined
with an appropriate audio or haptic alerting system. Secondary aids, on the other hand, are not sufficient
alone and must be used in along with a primary aid or a helper, which could include wearable orientation
devices which are used as a supplement or alternative to standard GPS supported navigation devices.
Embedded technologies, such as tactile signage systems, make the environment easier to navigate. Some
systems may blend these modalities in different ways. Several ATs are also available to support the blind
and  visually  impaired  in  accessing  information  and  communication  technologies  such  as  televisions,
computers,  the internet,  telephones  and  smartphones.  These  may  be  designed  for  specific  purposes –
such  as  education,  employment  or  recreation – and  can  adapt  to  a  user's  needs by,  for  example,
magnifying or intensifying a display, or translating visual information into other sensory modalities such
as  sound  and  touch.  There  are  also  several  technologies  available  to  assist  with  the  independent
performance  of  daily  tasks  such  as personal  care,  timekeeping,  food  preparation  and  consumption,
environmental control and household appliances, and money, finance and shopping.

ATs  for  the  blind  and  visually  impaired  that  are  not  commercially  available  but  under  development
include so called 'bionic eyes', which are essentially devices that are designed to replace functioning in
the optic system, e.g. by converting light to electrical impulses. Augmented reality spectacles may help
users by magnifying images, filtering colours and providing object and facial recognition assistance by
audio. The study also identified some key trends in the development  of future  ATs for the blind and
visually impaired which are enabled by wider mainstream technology developments. For example, user-
led 'democratised' design and production is made possible by the emergence of accessible 3D printers
and development tools, improved wearability and portability is driven by miniaturisation and efficiency
gains for power sources and more innovative displays and interface devices making use of improved
touch screens, gesture recognition, brain interfaces and haptic feedback systems can also benefit ATs for
the blind and visually impaired.

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STOA – Science and Technology Options Assessment

4.2. Current and future ATs for the deaf and hearing impaired

ATs currently available for the deaf and hearing impaired can be categorised into three main categories:
hearing, alerting and communicating. ATs can augment people's hearing ability by adapting the volume
and other qualities of sound in a way that is useful for the individual. These technologies include hearing
aids, assistive listening devices and personal sound amplification products increase sound levels within
targeted frequencies. Cochlear implants also fit into this category, as surgically-implanted sensors that
convert sound inputs into electrical signals that are directed to the auditory nerve. These are often given
to deaf children to support them in developing speaking and listening skills and, ultimately, to facilitate
social  integration.  However,  the  technology  has  raised  some ethical  debate,  including  criticism  that  it
makes like easier for the hearing, rather than the deaf. Other ATs for the deaf and hearing impaired are
designed  to  alert  the  user about  specific  events  that  would  usually  be  announced  audibly, via  light,
vibration or a combination of the two. The third category is communication technologies, which deploy
a range of keyboards, touchscreens and video technologies as well as tools to translate between speech,
text  and  sign  to  facilitate  communication.  These  can  be  used  for  face-to-face  or  telecommunication
interactions.

Advanced versions of many of these technologies are under development, including advanced auditory
brainstem  implants that can  bypass  the  inner  ear  and  acoustic  nerve  to  stimulate  brainstem  neurons
directly. These are intended for those that cannot receive a cochlear implant. There are also many gradual
improvements and combinations of existing technologies, such as the integration of sign language into
translation tools, that are improving rapidly and might be effectively combined with new interfaces such
as augmented reality glasses.

4.3. Current and future assistive technologies for autism spectrum disorders

Assistive technologies for people with ASDs differ substantially from the ATs for deaf and blind people
presented  in  the  previous  sections.  First  of  all,  since  the  causes  and  effects  of  ASDs are  not  as  well-
understood  as  those  of  hearing  and  visual  impairments,  ATs  for  ASDs are  much  less  mature.
Furthermore, individuals with ASDs have very different needs from the deaf and blind, who can benefit
from ATs that augment their hearing or seeing ability, or that can convert communications, interactions
and experiences to alternative sensory modalities. The ATs that are available for people with ASDs are
focused principally on  skills  for  communication,  social  interaction  and  independent  living.  ATs for
communication  are  designed  to  help  people  with  ASD  to  interact  with  others,  and  may  use  gestures,
signs and body language (unaided systems) or objects such as cards or screens (aided systems). People
with  ASDs can  also  make  use  of  dedicated  software  and  specialist 'video  games' to  rehearse  social
interactions such as making eye contact and recognising people, expressions and emotions. Other ATs
have also been developed to help people with ASDs to live more independent lives. These can include
instructional software and games to rehearse daily activities.

There are several types of AT under development for ASDs. These include so called 'social robots' that
interact with children and simulate human interactions and emotional states to help develop social skills
such as empathy and non-verbal communication. Although children with ASDs often show interest in
robots  and  computers,  the  clinical  utility  of  ATs  based  upon  these  technologies  has  not  been  fully
established. Another avenue of exploration is to use smart glasses or other devices to provide the user
with information about  their  social  context.  In  these  cases,  it  is  important  to  fine-tune  and,  generally,
decrease the amount and intensity of sensory, cognitive and emotional stimuli. ATs might also be used
to understand more about the sensory information disorders that are associated with ASDs.

4.4. Overall reflections on assistive technologies

Taking all three types of AT together, there are more devices for blind and visually impaired people than
for the other groups, and these technologies can perform a wider set of functions. This may result from
demographics,  since  many  people  experience  visual  impairments  of  some  kind,  more  resources  are

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Assistive technologies in Europe: legal and ethical reflections

available for the development of associated ATs. It may also be a result of the greater familiarity with
visual impairment and ATs such as glasses and canes, which have been around for a very long time.

Specific  technologies can  be  characterised  in  various  ways,  such  as  high- versus  low-tech,  specialist
versus mainstream, enhancement versus accessibility, augmentation versus automation and integration
versus inclusion. While the huge range of ATs in use vary significantly in how they are characterised
according to these scales, some general tendencies and trends can be identified.

ATs are rarely very low-tech (e.g. mechanical, familiar, cheap) or very high-tech (e.g. advanced, complex,
expensive), with most lying somewhere between the two. While some ATs are specialist devices intended
for a rather specific group of users, there is increasing blending of ATs and mainstream technologies such
as text to speech converters that can assist people with and without disabilities. This trend may be partly
to do with the rise in universal design principles that call for simple, flexible products that can cater for
a wide range of people. As mainstream technologies increasingly embrace multiple sensory modalities
at  the  same  time – with  interfaces  integrating  touch,  sound  and  vision – there  may develop  greater
flexibility to decide the format in which information is received according  to  whims, preferences and
abilities  to  communicate.  This  would  further  blur  the  boundary  between  assistive  and  mainstream
technologies. Considering this blurring in the context of some emerging and possible future ATs, it may
become  difficult  to  distinguish  ATs  from  prosthetics that could  be  used  for  augmentation  purposes,
regardless of disability. This could pose a myriad of legal, ethical and social questions.

The study found that current and emerging ATs tend to target the automation of tasks as a substitute for
human  labour,  rather  than  the  augmentation  of  human  labour  by  blending  technology  in  a  way  that
enhances human control and efficiency. This means that ATs may end up taking over more tasks that are
currently performed by human caregivers. Broadly, ATs are following a trend towards more inclusivity,
whereby greater social assimilation is sought in ways that protect and preserve individual diversity. This
contrasts  with  integrative  ATs,  which  seek  to  achieve  social  assimilation  by  reducing  the  differences
between people. This trend follows a broader call for attitudinal change, so that disabilities are seen as
biological variations like any others and, furthermore, are accepted as such. Several ATs aim to increase
the autonomy of the user by accounting for an impairment or making contextual changes. This trend is
positioned  in  response  to  the  social  value  placed  upon  people  living  independent  lives.  However,
focusing on autonomy and independence without considering the individual's circumstances could risk
resulting in isolation or social exclusion.

5. Perspectives on ATs

For the next part of the study, a large-scale survey of actual and potential users of ATs was conducted,
as  well  as  in-depth  interviews  with  experts  on  the  technical  and  regulatory  aspects  of  ATs,  and  a
workshop held at the European Parliament to explore challenges and opportunities together. The focus
remained  on  hearing  impairments,  visual  impairments  and  ASDs,  and  the  studies  were  designed  to
explore  the  needs,  perspectives  and  opportunities  of  ATs  for  independent  living,  education  and
employment.

5.1. Survey of current and potential users

The  survey  was  designed  in  dialogue  with  disability  associations
and  pilot  surveys  were  undertaken  to  maximise  accessibility. A
total of 149 associations were contacted to support the distribution
and promotion  of the survey, in which 373 individuals took part.
However,  these  participants  were  not  evenly  spread  in  terms  of
disability, location or age. Approximately 60 % of respondents were blind and visually impaired, with
the  remainder  split  evenly  between  respondents  with  ASDs and deafness or hearing  impairments.
Approximately 60 % of all respondents came from six countries (Italy, Ireland, Estonia, Denmark, Austria
and the UK),  and around 60 %  were  aged  between  34  and 65.  The  reasons  for  these  disparities  could

Read more about the method
and findings  of the survey in
Part  III:  Perspectives,  needs
and opportunities.

9

STOA – Science and Technology Options Assessment

include  language  barriers,  as  the  survey  was  conducted  in  English,  or  uneven  effectiveness  in  the
promotional activities. While this limits the representativeness of the survey, the insights remain useful
and feedback on the questionnaire was, overall, very positive.

The survey confirmed that many barriers to full social inclusion remain. While these varied depending
on the type of impairment, all three disability groups reported physical, infrastructural, communicative,
informational, social and attitudinal barriers. Respondents from the three groups shared a dissatisfaction
with  current  regulations,  which  they  felt  required  improvement  in  order  to  facilitate  their  access  to
employment, education, finances and everyday support. With regard to ATs, the surveys show that most
people with  disabilities  had an  open  and  optimistic  attitude  to  new  and  emerging  technologies.
Approximately 90 % of  deaf  and  blind  respondents  already  used ATs,  compared with about 50 %  of
respondents with ASDs, although these figures may be disproportionately high given that the survey
was conducted online. It should also be noted that approximately 70 % of respondents considered non-
technical assistance to be important, and over 90 % identified accessible environments and barrier-free
infrastructures, and an open-minded and prejudice-free society, as being important to them. A majority
of respondents agreed that ATs should be financed and provided by the state. The survey also revealed
the respondents' core expectations for ATs as being ease of use, flexibility, adaptability and affordability.

Differences between the three groups were found when it came to understanding the reasons for use and
non-use of ATs. For many, ATs are considered a necessity for several key tasks such as reading, writing,
mobility  and  accessing  information.  However, they  were  more  important  in  the  lives  of people  with
hearing  and  visual  impairments  than for respondents  with  ASDs.  Blind  and  visually  impaired
respondents reported the highest level of dependence on ATs, followed by the deaf and hard of hearing
respondents and those with ASDs. The reasons for not using ATs also varied between the three groups
with the blind and visually impaired respondents citing support from other people, deaf and hard of
hearing  respondents  reporting  that  ATs  did not  meet  their  needs,  and  respondents  with  ASD
highlighting  a  lack  of  information  about  the  ATs  available.  All  three  groups  also  highlighted  the
prohibitive cost of ATs as a reason for non-use. Participants had the opportunity to identify potential
future  technologies  that  would  be  useful  in  their  lives.  Blind  and  visually  impaired  respondents
highlighted  autonomous  vehicles,  deaf  and  hearing  impaired  respondents  highlighted  sign-to-speech
translators and devices to help them hear in challenging listening environments, and respondents with
ASDs highlighted innovations in therapy and training, emotion recognition devices and social robots.

5.2. Expert interviews and workshop

The study also included a set of 12 interviews, and a workshop with
a wide range  of  experts.  The  interviews  focused  on  the  experts'
opinions on the perspectives of current and potential users of ATs
and  complementary  public  sector  measures  towards  a  more
inclusive  society.  The  workshop  took  place  in  the  European
Parliament in January 2016 and was designed to explore several aspects of the future of ATs, notably,
technological,  regulatory,  social,  economic,  ethical,  environmental  and  demographic  aspects.  The  25
participants  included  members  of  the  project  team,  staff  from  the  European institutions  and guest
experts.

the
Read  more 
interviews  and  workshop in
Part  III:  Perspectives,  needs
and opportunities.

about 

The experts broadly agreed that there was a need for improvement when it came to disabled people's
inclusion in society, education and employment, and  to the accessibility  of all kinds of infrastructure,
from transport to knowledge. With some critical reservations, the experts shared the survey respondents'
broad  openness  to  technology  and  enthusiasm  for  its  potential  role  in  responding  to  some  of  the
challenges to inclusion faced by people with disabilities.

The interviews and workshop also revealed two broad and conflicting approaches to the basic definition
of ATs. One approach is to define ATs as those devices that are designed specifically to assist people with
disabilities,  while  another  approach  is  broader, including  any  technology  that  has  a  wider market

10

Assistive technologies in Europe: legal and ethical reflections

including people who use them to assist in overcoming barriers related to disabilities. The distinction
between  mainstream  and  assistive  technologies  is  increasingly  difficult  to  identify  with  several
technologies, including smartphones, meeting mainstream needs while also giving specific assistance to
people with disabilities.

Some experts highlighted the cost of ATs as a significant barrier to access, which can cause further social
inequalities, emphasising that insufficient attention was paid to post-purchase costs such as training and
servicing. Demographic differences were also noted, with younger people more accepting of ATs, with
older people expressing more unease and reluctance to introduce ATs into their daily lives. ATs were
also associated with some social stigma, particularly those such as hearing aids that are both visible and
specifically made for people with disabilities, without a mainstream market. Here, experts mentioned the
blending of assistive and mainstream technologies as a means of redefining ATs as 'normal' products and
overcoming stigma while also achieving economies of scale that could drive prices down. However, some
devices simply have little potential to develop mainstream markets and, in any case, social stigmas may
be better addressed by social change, rather than by tweaking the design and use of technologies.

Some  experts  called  for  the  development  of  ATs  specifically  to  support  people  with  ASDs  in
communication  and  social  interactions,  which  are  particularly  important  for  accessing  health  systems
and  public  services.  ATs  can  form  a  crucial  means  for  people  with  disabilities  to  access  educational
services, but it is important that other professionals are educated to understand and meet the needs of
people with disabilities, for example in their access to health and other public services as well as internet
and  other  computer  interfaces.  Depending  upon  the  disability,  ATs  can help people  to  access
employment by preparing  them for difficult situations or providing tools that enable them to interact
with colleagues and perform a wider range of tasks. However, the technologies that focus upon people
with disabilities can only go so far, and many non-technological barriers to employment remain, chiefly
attitudinal and informational. The CRPD includes a requirement of 'reasonable accommodation in the
workplace', but many would-be employees and employers are unaware of the opportunities and needs
of disabled people at work.

Looking to the future of ATs, the experts highlighted several technological advancements that could help
support the inclusion of more people in society, education and employment. These include software such
as  facial  recognition,  particularly  for  people  with  visual  impairments  and  ASD,  as  well  as  advanced
hardware such as brain-computer interfaces. However, above and beyond the use of advanced materials
and techniques, they stressed the importance of developing and making ATs available. In particular, they
identified the need to roll out universal design for all technologies, to include people with disabilities
from the earliest stages of the development process, to improve the connections between technologies
and  services,  to  ensure  robust  quality  assessment,  and  to  facilitate  access  and  uptake  of  existing
technologies.

6. Future trends

A number of key future trends for assistive technologies were identified and explored in the course of
the study and are presented below.

6.1. Technological trends

Among all the ATs that are under development, the focus is often placed upon high-tech devices such as
brain-machine interfaces, bionic eyes and augmented reality. These often present technological fixes to
what is seen as the medical problem of disability, rather than presenting holistic solutions to the largely
social  problem  of  inclusivity.  While  there  is  widespread enthusiasm  for  the  role  of  technology  in
achieving greater inclusion of people with disabilities, it must be appropriately embedded in the social
context. This points to a stronger role for universal design as well as more participatory technological
development, where a wide range of users are included from the earliest stages in the development of all
new technologies, whether they are mainstream or assistive. It was also highlighted that existing ATs –

11

STOA – Science and Technology Options Assessment

numbering  over 60 000 in Europe – are not always used to their full potential, and that consideration
should be given to whether more can be done with these technologies, in particular with regard their
integration into social services, health, education and employment. In this sense, the development and
diffusion  of  ATs  does  not  depend  upon  new  high-tech  solutions,  but  on  social  and  political  action
towards  inclusion  through  various  means,  including  technology  as  well  as  education,  equality,
attitudinal change and other initiatives.

6.2. Regulatory trends

The ways in which regulations such as the CRPD and EAA are implemented and enforced will have a
substantial impact on  the  development of ATs as  well as their effectiveness in  enabling greater social
inclusion  of  people  with  disabilities.  There  are  several  ways  of  responding  to  requirements  such  as
reasonable accommodation. While structural changes and organisational reforms may be more costly,
they are also expensive. Financial constraints may favour cheaper technological fixes without efforts to
target deeper social change, or the social embedding of technology. Another key regulatory feature is
whether ATs are classed as medical devices, which would mean they would fall under the strict Medical
Device Directive, rather than being regulated in the same way as other consumer goods. One suggestion
in response to this situation is to develop a more nuanced classification system, going beyond the binary
classification  of  devices  as  either  medical  or  non-medical  to  allow  the  appropriate  classification  and
regulation  of  mainstream  devices  that  are 'disability  inclusive' as  well  as  ATs  that  are  also  ready  for
mainstream markets. The demographic trend of an ageing population in Europe is expected to lead to
higher prevalence of hearing and visual impairments, which could in turn lead, via the polls, to a more
disability-friendly regulatory environment that focuses more on ATs than on medical diagnosis and cures
for social adaptation and inclusion.

6.3. Social trends

Social trends such as more individualistic lifestyles, decreased solidarity and disrupted support networks
all point towards greater priority being given to people's autonomy. Some current ATs already reflect
these trends by enabling their user to perform tasks alone that would usually require human assistance.
If it is assumed that these trends will continue in the coming years, they could lead to problems such as
social deskilling and emotional isolation. Of course,  many ATs that are focused upon communication
enable people with disabilities to communicate with those around them, and all over the world. These
ATs  combined  with  social  efforts  to  foster  human  interactions  and  relationships  will  be  important  in
ensuring that more autonomy does not mean more isolation.

6.4. Ethical trends

Several  ethical  issues  were  raised  in  the  course  of  the  study,  often  framed  as  open  questions  such  as
whether or not there should be limits to the integration of technologies into human bodies. Many people
evaluate technologies differently if they go beyond assisting to enhancing the user, whether they have
disabilities  or  not.  This  distinction  between  assistance  and  enhancement  is becoming  more  and  more
blurred, especially as it rests upon a notion of bodily 'normality' that is increasingly disputed. If the use
of technological assistance (and, perhaps, enhancement) becomes widespread, those who are unable or
unwilling  to  accept  it  may  suffer  discrimination  or  face  barriers,  e.g.  in  finding  employment.  Where
technologies affect the intellectual and sensory functioning of the user, it is reasonable to ask to what
extent the user  is experiencing their  own  reality  or  some  virtual  or  augmented  version  of  it.  In  cases
where a technology is fully embedded in the individual, it could reasonably be considered part of their
body and, if so, what implications could that have for the intellectual property rights of the owner. ATs
might also introduce new opportunities for coercion or exploitation, for example in offsetting the cost of
new  technologies  by  monetising  the  valuable  personal  data  that  they  could  gather,  or  in  presenting
opportunities  for  criminal  hacking  and  extortion.  Many  of  these  questions  have  no  absolute  answer,
implying that reflection and debate should be encouraged amongst a wide range of experts and publics.

12

Assistive technologies in Europe: legal and ethical reflections

6.5. Economic trends

Long-term  economic  trends – such  as  the  budget  allocated  to  the  health  services,  credit  available  to
innovators  and  levels  of  household  income – were  considered to  have an  important  impact  on  the
development  of  ATs.  In  particular,  those  ATs  that  are  formally  categorised  as  medical  devices  entail
substantially  higher  investment  costs  and  take  longer  to  reach  the  market,  often  excluding  smaller
companies with insufficient economic power, skills and experience. The experts also explored different
approaches to financing the development, distribution and further lifecycle costs of ATs. This includes
several methods of provision by the state, private insurance, households and charities, highlighting the
close  connection  between  economic,  regulatory  and  political  trends.  The  full  cost  of  ATs,  including
ongoing training and servicing, is often much higher than the cost of the device itself. On the other hand,
the full benefit of ATs is not always accounted for. For example, there are economic benefits of a larger
proportion  of  the  population  being  socially  integrated,  mobile  and  in  employment.  Also,  several  ATs
such as text-to-speech technologies and voice control features have knock-on value as they are adopted
for use in mass market products, such as in smartphones.

6.6. Demographic trends

Demographic aspects are crucial to understanding the future of disability in society as well as ATs. The
ageing population is often discussed in terms of higher pension costs and the need for people to stay in
the workforce for longer. However, as the population ages, so too will the proportion of people with age-
related disabilities such as visual, hearing and mobility impairments. This group differs from others that
have disabilities from a younger age in that they are more likely to have a combination of impairments
(e.g. both hearing and visual impairments) and face more barriers in adapting to their situation and in
embracing ATs. The development and effective roll-out  of ATs that enable people with disabilities to
remain in the workforce may be a crucial factor in Europe's success in meeting the challenges of an ageing
population. There may be some opportunities in terms of reducing stigma and achieving economies of
scale. However, there remain many differences between lifelong disabilities and those related to ageing,
and a 'one-size fits all' approach is not considered appropriate.

6.7. Environmental trends

The study found that environmental aspects of ATs are highlighted less often than other aspects, perhaps
because  there  is  little  difference  between  the  environmental  footprint  of  ATs  and  that  of  other
technologies, which focus largely upon energy and materials. The energy efficiency and storage capacity
of ATs is also important for their usability. Attention should also be paid to the reusability, recyclability
and disposability of all components, especially those that make use of rare earth elements. While some
higher-tech ATs may have a high energy and material cost, many use little power or none at all, relying
instead upon human labour. Such technologies are likely to have a much lower environmental burden.

6.8. Future scenarios

The findings of the research were used to construct four scenarios
for the future of AT. Each scenario describes a distinct possibility
for the future that is ultimately speculative, but based firmly upon
the findings of the reviews, surveys and interviews conducted as
part  of  the  study.  They  are  not  presented  as  predictions but,  rather,  as collections  of consistent  and
plausible future developments. As such, each scenario is not presented as an option that can be chosen,
but rather as part of a suite of ideas and insights which can be used to reflect upon and discuss the whole
range of opportunities and challenges presented by ATs, and to consider what kind of action could be
taken to foster their development in a desirable way.

Read more about the scenarios in
the annex to Part III: Perspectives,
needs and opportunities.

The scenarios all take place in 2050. While some features remain constant across all four, such as an ageing
population, each scenario describes a very different socio-technical reality. The key differences between

13

STOA – Science and Technology Options Assessment

these  futures  is  the  extent  to  which  society  is  inclusive  or  prejudiced,  the  level  of  technological
advancement,  the  extent  to  which  technologies  are  embedded  in  social  structures  and  practices,  the
economic situation, and the public versus private approach to the provision and financing of ATs. Brief
sketches of the four scenarios are presented below.

Mid-tech solutions in an inclusive society

Technological fixes in a prejudiced society

European  societies  no  longer  marginalise  people
with  disabilities.  They  have  matured  into  fully
inclusive  societies  that  accept  differences and
minorities  of  all  kinds.  The  distinction  between
disabled  and  non-disabled  people  has  largely
disappeared, with people considered on a spectrum
of ability which can change during their lives. Low-
and  mid-tech  ATs are  widely  used  to  enable
inclusion.

increasingly
European  societies have become 
inward-focused and intolerant to difference. Able-
bodied people are seen as naturally and inevitably
superior to people with disabilities. While medical
advances  and  technological  fixes  have  greatly
reduced 
the
development  and  access  to  non-curative ATs is
limited, and people with disabilities are subject to
discrimination.

the  prevalence  of  disability, 

High-tech reliance in an individualistic society

Privileged use of technology in a divided society

has 

benefited 

economically 

Europe 
from
technological  advances,  yet  the  ageing  of  the
population  has  led  to  a  higher prevalence  of
disabilities. Given the trust in technology, a medical
model has been re-established whereby disabilities
and  differences 
advanced
technologies. Participation in society, education and
employment depends on the individual's ability to
integrate, 
for
inclusion.

than  society's  capacity 

rather 

'fixed' 

are 

by 

Social and economic divisions permeate European
society.  Those  that  can  afford  private  healthcare
and  ATs  opt-out  of  the  social  welfare  system.
While  state  healthcare  is still  offered,  many  are
unable to access it and, in any case, many ATs are
only  available  on  the  private  market. This  means
that access to ATs depends upon the  individual's
economic  position  and  many  people  with
disabilities have no such access.

6.9. Legal analysis

Read the  legal  analysis  in Part IV:
Legal and socio-ethical perspectives.

The final part of the project is the presentation of social, ethical
and  legal  reflections  on  the  role  of  current  and  future
initiatives of the European Parliament in the context of trends
in the field of AT. The analysis identifies various legal challenges that ATs raise in the context of EU law
including  the  coordination  of  the  various  layers  of competence,  the  lack  of  a  commonly  accepted
definition, the variety of risks posed by ATs to human rights, privacy, dignity, access to employment,
freedom and social inclusion of people with disabilities. It also identifies wider concerns including the
changing concept of what a 'healthy human body' is, medical classifications, social stigma and financing
the  development  and  provision  of  ATs.  In  response,  several  options  for  responsive  policy  action  are
suggested.  These  include  ensuring  accessibility  as  a  human  right,  privacy  by  design,  improving  the
informed consent process, a user-centred model of technology design, autonomy of choice to use ATs,
maintaining  the  availability  of  human  care,  developing  appropriate  ethics  oversight  structures,
introducing a new classification system for ATs and ensuring the safety of their use.

14

Assistive technologies in Europe: legal and ethical reflections

7. Conclusions

7.1. Current and future ATs could have a positive impact

Given the social technical and regulatory trends identified, it is clear that ATs are to play an increasingly
important  role  in  the  lives  of people  with  disabilities,  supporting  their further  inclusion  in  society,
education and employment. However, an active approach should be taken, including measures to ensure
the effective distribution and use of current ATs, and to foster future ATs to maximise their value. Such
steps could include encouraging the involvement of people with disabilities in the development of future
ATs from the earliest stages. It may also be valuable to promote the development of new occupational
profiles dedicated to ATs. These could help people – with and without disabilities – to make the best use
of existing ATs in their particular situation and provide useful inputs for developers of new ATs.

7.2. One size does not fit all

By  focusing  upon  ATs  for  three  specific  disabilities, it  was  possible to  identify  and  explore  some  key
issues for the future of ATs in society in some depth. However, it is important to recognise that everyone
has  a  different  set  of  circumstances  in  terms  of  ability  and  disability.  Many  people  have  multiple
disabilities which affect their care needs. Further differences can be found in the individual's social and
economic resources as well as in their personal needs, desires and preferences. Others are subjected to
multiple forms of discrimination, as highlighted in a recent report on the problems facing women with
disabilities in the workplace. This wide range of individual circumstances raises several problems for
one-size-fits-all approaches to the challenges of inclusion. One response to this problem could be to train
a  new  generation  of assistive  technology  professionals  to  support  individuals  in  finding  the  right
solutions for their situations.

7.3. Technology alone is not enough

While ATs clearly offer significant support for some aspects of some people's lives, it is also important to
consider social and regulatory action for the inclusion of people with disabilities in society, education
and  employment.  In  the  workplace,  for  example,  the  study  identified  several  ATs  that  could  support
people  with  disabilities  to  secure  employment  and  pursue  their  careers,  but  these  may  need  to  be
accompanied  by  social  change  to  counteract  stigma, and  also organisational  changes,  such  as  the
provision of flexitime and teleworking arrangements.

7.4. Action to target people without disabilities

It is important that action to respond to the challenge of inclusivity does not target people with disabilities
only.  For  example,  the  problems  of  discrimination  and  stigma  require  broad  attitudinal  and
organisational change that permeates society. Wider actions are also required in the more specific area of
ATs. For example, many people will increasingly encounter ATs in their professional and personal lives,
for example as communicative tools. Understanding  how to engage with  others through these means
will  be  particularly  important  for  health  professionals  and  other public  services, as  well  as for the
designers of digital services and other infrastructures. Again, assistive technology professionals could
play an important role in these activities.

7.5. How to start building a more inclusive society today

The study described a range of future technical and regulatory developments that could offer substantial
support  for  the  inclusion  of  people  with  disabilities  in  society, education  and  jobs.  However,  it  also
highlighted the range of technologies and regulations that are already available but are not used to their
full  effect.  While  waiting for  future  ATs, the focus could  be on  the  implementation  of  current  legal
frameworks  such  as  the  CRPD,  exploring how  current  technologies  can  be  used  more  effectively  and
taking steps to overcome social discrimination and stigma. The future may be promising, but steps can
already be taken now to achieve a more inclusive society today.

15

Assistive  technologies  (ATs)  are  designed  to 
improve  the
functional  capabilities  of  people  with  disabilities.  Some  are
relatively  low-tech  and  very  familiar,  such as  such  as  reading
glasses,  crutches  and  hearing  aids.  Others  are  more  advanced,
using  cutting-edge  science  and  technology,  with  future  ATs
under  development  that  could  have  a  huge  impact  on  all  our
lives. This briefing provides an overview of a scientific foresight
study of ATs for three specific types of disability: blindness and
visual 
impairment,  and
autism spectrum disorders.

impairment,  deafness  and  hearing 

This is a publication of the Scientific Foresight Unit (STOA)
EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service, European Parliament

PE 603.218
ISBN 978-92-846-2352-5
doi: 10.2861/42217
QA-06-17-411-EN-N

This document is prepared for, and addressed to, the Members and staff of the European
Parliament as background material to assist them in their parliamentary work. The content
of  the  document  is  the  sole  responsibility  of  its  author(s)  and  any  opinions  expressed
herein should not be taken to represent an official position of the Parliament.