New Research Paper Highlights Barriers and Solutions for Scaling Up Custom Assistive Technology

The latest research paper published by PDR’s research team and Swansea Bay University Health Board researchers sheds light on the challenges and potential solutions for scaling up the use of custom assistive technology (AT) within healthcare services.

In an era where chronic health conditions contribute significantly to global health burdens, AT is crucial to supporting independence and wellbeing. However, up to 70% of AT is reported to be prematurely abandoned since it does not meet user needs. With an estimated 2.5 billion people relying on AT products globally, an ageing global population, a rise in noncommunicable disease and constraints on healthcare spending, this waste cannot be afforded.

Designing with the end use to create solutions that are tailored to their needs could reduce this waste. Computer-aided design and 3D printing are powerful tools that can enable this, offering a paradigm shift from traditional, wasteful “one-size-fits-all” AT. This has garnered significant interest from AT users.

More Information: pdr-consultancy.com/news/new-r[…]tive-technology

Read the Full Paper: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17483107.2024.2406443