The 2017 State of the Speech Technology Industry: Assistive Technology
From: Speech Technology Magazine - 02/17/2017

Lending a Helping Hand with Speech

Computers, smart devices, and similar technologies are part of everyday life
for most people in developed countries. Though these tools enable most people
to communicate with others, obtain encyclopedias of information, book travel,
perform financial transactions, and conduct business easily and efficiently,
there are times they have their own hiccups.

But for the visually or hearing impaired, these technologies, until recently,
have largely been extremely challenging to use, if they were usable at all.
More people face challenges with declining sight, hearing, and other
abilities as the population continues to age.

Development of assistive technologies is expected to accelerate through 2017
and into the future as the need for communications, Internet, and computer
access for the disabled continues to grow. According to Stratistics MRC, the
global market for assistive technologies for the elderly and disabled
accounted for $43.1 billion in 2015. It is expected to reach $69.8 billion by
2022, growing at a compound annual rate of 7.2 percent. 

Read the entire article at:
http://www.speechtechmag.com/Articles/Editorial/Cover-Story/The-2017-State-of-the-Speech-Technology-Industry-Assistive-Technology-116174.aspx