Robotics in Assistive Technology  
From: Robotics Trends - 09/07/2003
By: Karen Solomon

Robotics technology has broken out of the factory floor and is being employed
in novel ways to assist the disabled. While few products are standalone
robots per se, they all employ advanced robotic technology. 

Assistive technology (AT), the field of innovations that removes barriers or
bypasses impediments for people with disabilities, can range from a simple
stick or magnifying glass, to sophisticated apperati capable of sensing
surroundings and performing complicated tasks. Such technology can be applied
to assist people in accomplish daily tasks around the home or in a vocational
setting. 

Robotic technology is moving quickly from the factory floor, where for years
robots have sprayed paint, welded or assembled manufactured goods in a highly
structured environment, to the unstructured environments in the home and
workplace, where robotic technology is being applied in novel new ways.
Assistive technology is no exception. The AT community is buzzing with
innovation that serves the disabled by allowing them to accomplish goals
independently. "People are comfortable enough with robotics that they’re
going beyond the highly industrial culture," says Chris Morse, co-founder of
Yobotics, developers of the leg-assisting Robowalker. "Robotics technology is
poised for rapid growth and maturing to be cross-functional. We're finally
seeing it move into the public sector and being embraced by other fields."  

Robotics has come a long way from the assembly line into the day-to-day life
of personal assistance. For persons who lack the required physical, sensory,
or mental capabilities demanded by most cultural platforms, the availability
and emergence of assistive robotics technology opens whole new vistas and
increases their quality of life. What follows is a overview of a few of the
many robotic innovations that are emerging that assist those with a wide
range of disabilities. 

http://www.roboticstrends.com/displayarticle35.html