Design and Use of Assistive Technology
Social, Technical, Ethical, and Economic Challenges
Oishi, Meeko Mitsuko K.; Mitchell, Ian M.; Van der Loos, H. F. Machiel (Eds.)  

Design and Use of Assistive Technology provides an interdisciplinary approach
to assess some of the major hurdles in creating effective assistive
technology. Assistive technology must be integrated with clinical needs, user
requirements, ethical considerations, and the social context of the
technology's use. Gaps between engineering design, clinical evaluation, and
actual use often derail potentially transformative technologies that would
otherwise enable independence and facilitate social connectedness. This
volume gathers recommendations that span engineering, computer science,
rehabilitation sciences, and ethics.  

This book:

    Addresses difficult problems such as the inherent heterogeneity of users,
    privacy concerns in data collection and analysis, and incorporation of
    user perspective into the design and evaluation process 

    Discusses models for knowledge transfer of novel technologies, advantages
    and disadvantages of small markets, and regulations and standards to
    enable commercialization 

    Presents a framework for ethics of "accessible" technologies that differs
    from frameworks for engineering or medical ethics 

Design and Use of Assistive Technology demonstrates how multidisciplinary
process improvements in assistive technology deployment have the potential to
empower businesses, researchers, and nonprofit organizations to create and
bring to market new devices that incorporate ethical, social, and clinical
concerns to enhance people's lives. 

Some university users may be able to read the book online:
http://www.springer.com:80/engineering/biomedical+eng/book/978-1-4419-7030-5?cm_mmc=NBA-_-Nov-10_WEST_6846752-_-product-_-978-1-4419-7030-5&uid=18140365