I’ve got a mobile phone too! Hard and soft assistive technology customization and supportive call centres for people with disability

© 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Purpose: The purpose of this article is to examine the use of a mobile technology platform, software customization and technical support services by people with disability. The disability experience is framed through the participants’ use of the technology, their social participation. Method: A qualitative and interpretive research design was employed using a three-stage process of observation and semi-structured interviews of people with disability, a significant other and their service provider. Transcripts were analyzed to examine the research questions through the theoretical framework of PHAATE–Policy, Human, Activity, Assistance and Technology and Environment. Results: The analysis revealed three emergent themes: 1. Engagement and activity; 2. Training, support and customization; and 3. Enablers, barriers and attitudes. Conclusions: The findings indicate that for the majority of users, the mobile technology increased the participants’ communication and social participation. However, this was not true for all members of the pilot with variations due to disability type, support needs and availability of support services. Most participants, significant others and service providers identified improvements in confidence, security, safety and independence of those involved. Yet, the actions and attitudes of some of the significant others and service providers acted as a constraint to the adoption of the technology. Implications for Rehabilitation Customized mobile technology can operate as assistive technology providing a distinct benefit in terms of promoting disability citizenship. Mobile technology used in conjunction with a supportive call centre can lead to improvements in confidence, safety and independence for people experiencing disability. Training and support are critical in increasing independent use of mobile technology for people with disability. The enjoyment, development of skills and empowerment gained through the use of mobile technology facilitate the social inclusion of people with disability

Defections From The Inner Circle: Social Exchange, Reciprocity, And The Diffusion Of Board Independence In Us Corporations

This study seeks to reconcile traditional sociological views of the corporate board as an instrument of elite cohesion with recent evidence of greater board activism and control over top management. We propose that CEO-directors may typically support fellow CEOs by impeding increased board control over management but that CEO-directors may also foster this change if they have experienced it in their own corporation. Drawing on social exchange theory, we develop and test the argument that these CEO-directors may experience a reversal in the basis for generalized social exchange with other top managers from one of deference and support to one of independence and control. Using data from a large sample of major U.S. corporations over a recent ten-year period, we show (1) how CEO-directors ''defect'' from the network of mutually supportive corporate leaders, (2) how defections have diffused across organizations and over time, and (3) how this has contributed to increased board control, as measured by changes in board structure, diversification strategy, and contingent compensation. We also provide evidence that a social exchange perspective can explain the diffusion of these changes better than more conventional perspectives on network diffusion that emphasize imitation or learning.Business Administratio

Understanding Experiences of Blind Individuals in Outdoor Nature

Research shows that exposure to nature has benefits for people's mental and physical health and that ubiquitous and mobile technologies encourage engagement with nature. However, existing research in this area is primarily focused on people without visual impairments and is not inclusive of blind and partially sighted individuals. To address this gap in research, we interviewed seven blind people (without remaining vision) about their experiences when exploring and experiencing the outdoor natural environment to gain an understanding of their needs and barriers and how these needs can be addressed by technology. In this paper, we present the three themes identified from the interview data; independence, knowledge of the environment, and sensory experiences

INDONESIA AND SOUTH KOREA DEFENSE DIPLOMACY: CASE STUDY OF PROCUREMENT OF CHANG BOGO CLASS VESSELS IN 2010-2018

Indonesia has chosen South Korea as a cooperation partner because South Korea is agreed to Indonesia's procurement policy. The research objective was to analyze the stages of procurement of Chang Bogo class submarines and the role of defense diplomacy during the process. This study uses qualitative methodology with its analysis techniques. The study concluded that the procurement of submarines succeeded in terms of the number of submarines, but the percentage of transfer technology provided had not yet reached the minimum percentage of Indonesia’s need and Indonesia must build adequate infrastructure to achieve the independence goals of the defense industry but Indonesia was still experiencing fluctuate economic condition. Therefore, the procurement of defense and security equipment tools (alpalhankam) must adjust to that condition

Dissertation: Examining and investigating home modifications and smart home technologies to reduce fall injury among older adults.

Nearly one in six U.S. residents are over the age of 65. The proportion of older adults in the U.S. is anticipated to grow to 22.1% of the total population by 2050. The cost of treating age related conditions and injuries is expensive, government programs including Medicaid paid over $550 Billion in 2017, and makes up between 14-16% of the federal budget each year. With the high cost of treating age related conditions and injuries, and the proportion of older adults continuing to increase every year, it is imperative that researchers and government entities find and invest in preventative measures in order to reduce injury and related healthcare costs. Among the many age-related injuries older adults suffer, falls are arguably the most important to address. It is estimated that one in three older adults has a fall every year. In 2016, falls were the seventh leading cause of death among older adults. Approximately one third of all fallers require medical attention after experiencing a fall. Over 800,000 older adults are hospitalized each year due to fall related injuries. Injuries sustained as a result of a serious fall include various fractures, traumatic brain injuries, and other cuts and bruises.Home modifications, and more recently smart home technologies, can help increase the safety of older adults living in the community. With older adults wanting to “age in place”, installing these modifications and technologies before an accident happens may lower rates of injury. Today, dozens of companies sell various smart home devices for the consumer market. Bud despite the high demand for these technologies by the American consumer, the ability of these devices to keep older adults safe, and how older adults value these technologies, remains uncertain. These home technologies may be particularly beneficial to older adults living in rural areas due to the increased isolation and limited access to healthcare resources. Previous research indicates rural populations have a greater proportion of older adults compared to urban areas, yet lack the infrastructure to provide specialty care to this population. It is estimated that more than 60 million family members provide some sort of informal care to an older adult relative. Of all of these family members, nearly 40% report spending 20 or more hours a week providing this unpaid care. Previous research has failed to examine how these family members feel about home modifications and technologies for their older adult relative. Finding ways to ease the burden of caring for older family members will significantly better the situations of many family relatives.This dissertation aims to cover three areas. 1. Identify people at risk of suffering subsequent fall injuries. Find the average time between an initial fall injury and a subsequent fall injury, and find average time between an initial fall injury and death.2. Examine the preferences of older adults living in a rural area towards various smart home technologies and home modifications.3. Examine the preferences of family members of older adults regarding smart home technologies and home modifications

Stress Theory, Health, and Health Care: Self-care Technology and Self-Identity Reinvigoration

How does self-care technology influence self-concept in patients with chronic health care needs? Progressive patient reliance on self-care is tantamount to the extension of independence and self-reliance in all countries with populations experiencing chronic health challenges. With remarkable advancements in medical technology of late, understanding the effects of self-care technology on patient well-being is critical. This work explores existing literature on the intersection of medical care and technological interventions in populations dealing with chronic illnesses, through the lens of a researcher involved with the HOPE Project in Hawai\u27i exploring technology use by patients undergoing dialysis treatments. The perspective of this researcher is of note: a patient with type 1 diabetes implementing self-care technology every day. The interplay of self-identity and self-concept is discussed. Stress theory identifies critical areas of risk for patients with chronic medical needs: perceptions of self-efficacy, social support availability and maintenance, and patient experiences as medical patients and social organisms. Research involving self-care technology shows marked improvement in perceptions of self-efficacy, perceptions of socialsupport availability, and positive gains in the lives of people dealing with chronic illnesses. The overarching discussion of human rights must include the narratives of people struggling to find success with chronic illnesse

Digital inclusion - the vision, the challenges and the way forward

This paper considers the vision and aspiration of digital inclusion, and then examines the current reality. It looks beyond the rhetoric to provide an analysis of the status quo, a consideration of some facilitators and challenges to progress and some suggestions for moving forward with renewed energy and commitment. The far-reaching benefits of digital inclusion and the crucial role it plays in enabling full participation in our digital society are considered. At the heart of the vision of universal digital inclusion is the deceptively simple goal to ensure that everyone is able to access and experience the wide-ranging benefits and transformational opportunities and impacts it offers. The reality is a long way from the vision: inequality of access still exists despite many national campaigns and initiatives to reduce it. The benefits and beneficiaries of a digital society are not just the individual but all stakeholders in the wider society. Research evidence has shown that the critical success factors for successful digital participation are (i) appropriate design and (ii) readily available and on-going ICT (Information and Communication Technology) support in the community. Challenges and proven solutions are presented. The proposition of community hubs in local venues to provide user-centred ICT support and learning for older and disabled people is presented. While the challenges to achieve digital inclusion are very considerable, the knowledge of how to achieve it and the technologies which enable it already exist. Harnessing of political will is necessary to make digital inclusion a reality rather than a vision. With the cooperation and commitment of all stakeholders actualisation of the vision of a digitally inclusive society, while challenging, can be achieved and will yield opportunities and rewards that eclipse the cost of implementation

COMPARISON OF H-INFINITY AND ENSEMBLE KALMAN FILTER FOR ESTIMATING MOTION OF MIDDLE FINGER

Upper extremity paresis is a condition in which a person experiences muscle weakness in one or both hands. This condition can cause impairment in motor function, hinder daily activities, and affect the life quality of the sufferer. In some cases, paresis can result from nerve injury, neurological disease, or an accident.  To help improve the life quality of the sufferer experiencing upper extremity paresis, the development of the Finger Prosthetic Arm Robot, an assistive robotic hand designed to provide assistance in the movement of the finger experiencing paresis, is required. This technology aims to restore its functional ability and the independence of the patient in performing daily activities, such as picking up objects, grasping, and performing other precise movements. The main purpose of this paper, the researcher compared two methods to estimate the motion of the middle finger robot, that is, the H-infinity method and the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) method.  The simulation results show that both methods had almost the same accuracy, and the simulation by generating 800 ensembles was more accurate than that by generating 400 ensembles with an accuracy difference of about 10% above the accuracy rate of 98%

Independent living program evaluation for Rebuilding All Goals Efficiently

This paper evaluates the outcome of independent living (IL) services provided to clients with Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) by a local non-profit organization, Rebuilding All Goals Efficiently (RAGE). Agency services are directed at increasing client self-sufficiency, self-advocacy, and maintenance of least restrictive living environment. Secondary data provided by RAGE for 22 SCI clients who received services in FY10 was used in the evaluation. Outcomes were measured for living arrangement at case closure, impact of services on client’s life, and cost effectiveness of services provided. Descriptive statistical analysis of the data revealed successful outcomes for all 22 SCI clients. All clients reported a decrease in functional limitation allowing them to maintain or attain the least restrictive living arrangement following provision of services. Service costs were higher for clients with 0-14 years post disability onset indicating that services were provided to the clients with the most need, either at onset of injury or to upgrade services. The report includes short and long-term recommendations to the agency for service delivery enhancement and improvement in data collection for future studies

Creating personas for political and social consciousness in HCI design

Personas have become an important tool for Human-Computer Interaction professionals. However, they are not immune to limitations and critique, including stereotyping. We suggest that while some of the criticisms to personas are important, the use of personas is open to them in part because of an unquestioned focus on explicating user needs and goals in traditional persona research and creation. This focus, while helping designers, obscures some other potentially relevant aspects. In particular, when the goal of the product or software being designed is associated with social and political goals rather than with bringing a product to the market, it may be relevant to focus personas on political aspirations, social values and the will or capacity of personas to take action. We argue that it is possible when producing personas (and associated scenarios) to partially move away from representing needs and embrace personas which more explicitly represent political or social beliefs and values. We also suggest that a phenomenographic approach to user data analysis is one way to achieve this. We provide empirical evidence for our position from two large-scale European projects, the first one in the area of Social Innovation and the second in the area of eParticipation