Smart clothing and furniture for supporting participation-co-creation concepts for daily living

Abstract

Participation and social inclusion influence individuals’ health and well-being. These factors can be easily disturbed, especially for those with disabilities. Designers and engineers have tried harnessing technology to assist people via producing prototypes of assistive devices, such as smart clothing and furniture. This study approaches that user surface and inspects the user’s needs for participation through clothing and furniture. We thus arranged two similar workshops with student participants (n = 37) from four different educational units, creating 10 innovative concepts to support participation and social inclusion. All aimed to support participation via improved self-regulation, increased safety, or environmental control. Most of the concepts were connectible to another device, such as a mobile phone. All devices were made adjustable to meet personal preferences. This study aligns with previous ones by concluding that assistive technology should be unobtrusive, give timely responses, and interact with other devices. These initial concepts are ready to be turned into tangible prototypes.Article highlights Participation and social inclusion have remarkable meaning for an individual’s well-being and health. Commonly, assistive technology aims to solve challenges in daily living by promoting health and well-being. For this reason, we arranged two similar co-creation workshops and asked the participants to innovate smart clothing and furniture concepts that will promote greater participation and more social inclusion. This study also identified users’ needs, such as increased safety and independence, supported communication, self-regulation and awareness, and an effective learning tool. The majority of the concepts were designed to be adjustable to meet personal preferences, let individuals interact with other devices (such as a mobile phone), and give timely responses.

Exploring the Augmented and Alternative Communication (AAC) for Promoting Independence in Daily Skills of Students with Learning Disabilities

“…These apps allow users to input text by speaking commands, such as "show me my calendar" or "add an event". This type of functionality makes it easier for students to communicate their needs and receive information quickly and easily (Vuohijoki et al, 2023). This picture exchange communication system allows students to communicate their needs and express their desires to teachers.…”

“…Underscoring the advantage of AAC, this type of technique which is then incorporated into technology is a valuable aid for teachers to support students with learning disabilities in ADL. These apps can be used to communicate a variety of needs and wants, including requesting assistance, accessing information and communicating preferences (Lazo-Amado et al, 2022;Shin et al, 2020;Vuohijoki et al, 2023). AAC empowers students with learning disabilities to become more independent communicators.…”

“…Augmented and alternative communication (AAC) refers to a set of strategies, techniques, and tools used to enhance or replace spoken language for individuals with communication difficulties such as student with learning disabilities (Chan et al, 2020;Shin et al, 2020;Vuohijoki et al, 2023). AAC can include various techniques such as sign language, picture exchange systems, speech-generating devices, and mobile applications that facilitate communication and improve social skills (Chan et al, 2020).…”