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The rapid advancement in technology development has contributed more than ever to promoting and accelerating research, development, and innovation activities that aim to achieve accessibility and inclusion that can benefit persons with disabilities in Qatar. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) must be considered the key enablers of inclusion, said an official during a virtual event recently.
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) organised a event entitled ‘Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Innovation and Accessibility: Towards Building Inclusive Communities’.
Associate Professor Information & Computing Technology, College of Science and Engineering at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Dr. Dena Ahmed S Al Thani discussed how research in academic efforts in ICT accessibility and assistive technology can foster social inclusion and how today’s cutting-edge research in AI and IoT can promote inclusion as these technologies are already integrated in our daily activities.
Dr. Dena, said, “Assistive technology encompasses a wide range of solutions accessed and used by people with disability from diverse background. It includes solution to control communication, mobility, personal safety and education and we are seeing them deployed, tested and being used for different technologies. AI and affective computing can also create a safe environment for children with autism.”
She further noted, “At HBKU we have a huge group working on the implications of AI with autism and how can AI become an enabler. We proudly developed an AI model that helped autistic children’s behaviour during learning and that helped us to know how the teacher can communicate with the child in a better way.” “We are looking at this stage to commercialize and develop tools to support reaching out to centers to help them use such cutting-edge system. Also, we cannot neglect the role of smart home technologies in increasing the accessibility of people with physical disability, increasing the accessibility for the blind,” Dr. Deena added.
Citing an example, she noted that Microsoft’s AI for accessibility platform has developed a number of apps that uses image recognition to enable blind users to identify objects and other tools. And also, several other entities look at AI as an enabler for the blind. She also stressed the importance of funding research in ICT accessibility and assistive technology and said, “I firmly believe this initiative should be rooted within the communities.” According to WHO, over 1 billion people are estimated to experience disability. This corresponds to about 15% of the world’s population, with up to 190 million (3.8%) people aged 15 years and older having significant difficulties in functioning, often requiring health care services.
Assistive technologies and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are powerful tools for advancing welfare and wellbeing for all in building inclusive communities.
