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The SMARTDISABLE project aims to provide persons with disability (PWD) the adequate workplace environment in order to smartly access all objects, particularly the information and communication technologies (ICTs), that are relevant to the task of knowledge processing and creation. The technical work of the project involves design of a technological scenario for the Ambient Intelligence (Aml)-based assistive technologies at the workplace consisting of an integrated and connected set of smart software and hardware technologies to be designed to empower the Physically disabled persons (PDP) with the capability to access and effectively utilize the ICTs in order to execute knowledge rich working tasks with minimum of effort and with sufficient comfort level. The proposed technology solution for PWD will include smart editor using voice recognition that enable them to edit and document their work smartly through animating of the mouse cursor movement to track the editing without the need to use their hands. It also enables PWD to get help from the network using smart help engine that is based on voice recognition. In addition, a smart call that allows PWD to call other number using voice recognition and Voice over IP. This proposed technology solution intended to make PWD very effective at the work environment using only voice to conduct their tasks at the work environment. Theproposed solution aim to provide favorable outcomes that assist PWD at work, and opening opportunity to participate in PWD assistive technology innovation market which is still small and rapidly growing as well as upgrading the quality life of the normal peoples at the workplace.

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The developments and improvements in human-computer interaction and information and communication technologies have resulted in innovative assistive technology (AT) solutions for the people with disabilities (PWDs). Although, there have been many new ideas and technologies for assisting the PWDs, still very few of them have considered the workplace environment. Therefore, there is a need to develop a comprehensive universal AT solution that can maximize the PWDs productivity at work. In this work, an AT and smart context-aware solution has been developed to assist the PWDs at the workplace. This has been achieved through the designing and the implementation of a smart unified interface to guide and assist the PWDs. A wireless sensor network has been employed in this context-aware smart solution in order to track and determine user's location. The unified interface is adaptive and includes four modules that are smart helping, smart communication, smart editor, and auto emergency response. A proper AT process and technological design considerations have been adopted to achieve a comprehensive, universal, adaptive, and context-aware solution.

This study presents a novel method for evaluating the scientific research papers in the field of assistive technologies pertaining to different impairment conditions. The objectives are to understand the technologies used for addressing the needs of PWD by identifying relevant criteria for the assessment, explore the implications of these technologies in their lives and identify the gaps among certain technologies in assisting PWD. In this article, we reviewed around 40 research scientific papers in relation to the technologies used to assist PWD in their daily activities. A novel quantitative assessment methodology based on Multi-weighted Scoring Model (MWSM) has been developed. It is based on the judgement of clinical experts according to thirteen well-defined criteria. The proposed method is useful because it assesses the scientific studies related to PWD qualitatively according to efficient research coverage, as well as quantitatively in order to have good comparative judgment. Moreover, this method recognizes the research gap or areas which need further investigation and identifies the research papers that have good coverage of the respective criteria. Implications for Rehabilitation Human computer interface (HCI) solutions are critical for addressing the main issues facing people with disabilities (PWD) in their life. Assessment of scientific research papers according to well-defined criteria that address PWD needs would assist in verifying their suitability for PWDs. Novel quantitative assessment methodology is used for assessing these research papers using judgment of experienced researchers according to 13 well-defined criteria that have been weighted according to relevancy to different impairment groups. Identifying research papers that have good coverage of defined criteria and knowing the research area that needs further investigation by researchers and developers, would ultimately address the rehabilitation needs for PWD.