{"title":"Innovation on wheels: do-it-yourself assistive technologies in action sports.","authors":"Nikolaus A Dean, Andrea Bundon","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2026.2744466","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2026.2744466","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Using adaptive skateboarding and wheelchair motocross as a lens, this paper examines how, why, and in what ways disabled riders use DIY assistive technologies (DIY-AT) to support their mobility and sporting practices.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>To address these aims, we interviewed 30 disabled riders and engaged in a reflexive thematic analysis of the transcripts.</p><p><strong>Findings & discussion: </strong>Adopting a posthuman perspective, the findings demonstrate how disabled riders' entanglements with DIY-AT can reshape possibilities for movement, creativity, and individuality while simultaneously enabling new forms of mobility, access, and participation. We stress that while DIY-AT may be empowering, it can also shift the responsibility for design, testing, repair, and maintenance onto disabled users, thereby exposing them to the risk of equipment failure and injury.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We contend that DIY-AT are not merely tools that compensate for bodily limitations but rather tools and modifications that become entangled with disabled bodies, environments, and sporting practices, generating new possibilities for movement, embodiment, creativity, and participation.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":" ","pages":"1-17"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A GenAI-supported job interview training robot for young adults with special education needs.","authors":"Ka Yan Fung","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2026.2748786","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2026.2748786","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and aims: </strong>Employment opportunities for young adults with special education needs (YA-SEN) are often less favourable compared to their peers without SEN. They are often anxious during interviews, especially when answering open-ended questions with unfamiliar interviewers and unexpected interruptions occur. To fill the gap, we developed an interactive job interview training (JIT) system featuring a cat-shaped robot - <i>JIT-bot</i>.</p><p><strong>Sample: </strong><i>JIT-bot</i> was designed to provide an engaging, adaptive, and personalised training experience that supported users to practice and refine their interviewing skills in a less stressful environment. We recruited 28 participants in our study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A mixed-method approach was employed, including proficiency tests, interviews, and questionnaires.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results provided preliminary evidence that the experimental group showed a statistically significant improvement in intrinsic motivation. In contrast, the behavioural engagement of the control group decreased slightly. These findings and feedback will suggest future enhancements to <i>JIT-bot</i>'s features and functions, making it a valuable tool to support JIT for YA-SEN.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":" ","pages":"1-22"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149225207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Determinants of prescribers' recommendations of welfare technologies for people with dementia: a scoping review.","authors":"Antonios Tsertsidis, Irene Rapado","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2026.2748780","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2026.2748780","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Welfare technologies are increasingly promoted to support people with dementia in living independently and safely. While prior research has primarily focused on user acceptance, usability, and effectiveness, less attention has been paid to the role of professionals who assess, select, and recommend these technologies.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This scoping review aims to identify and map the determinants that influence prescribers' recommendations of welfare technologies for people with dementia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The review followed an established scoping review framework and adhered to PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Searches were conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed, focusing on empirical studies published between 2016 and 2026. Studies were included if they examined professional practices related to recommending or prescribing welfare or assistive technologies for people with dementia. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were analysed using a descriptive thematic approach.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Three categories of determinants were identified: professional, organisational and systemic, and technological and contextual. Professional determinants included knowledge, experience, ethical reasoning, and assessments of user and carer capability. Organisational determinants encompassed time constraints, training, procurement systems, and availability of technologies. Technological determinants related to usability, reliability, and suitability for cognitive impairment. Across studies, recommendation emerged as a sociotechnical process shaped by the alignment between these factors.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings highlight that access to welfare technologies is mediated by professional recommendation practices and shaped by multi-level conditions. The study contributes a fit-based understanding of recommendation, emphasising the need to address professional, organisational, and technological conditions to improve equitable access to appropriate technologies in dementia care.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":" ","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149217093","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An accessible pregnancy test for blind and low-vision users.","authors":"Zeqi Huang, Dan Li, Haowen Yin, Vanja Garaj","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2026.2744835","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2026.2744835","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Conventional pregnancy self-tests rely on the visual interpretation of test results, creating barriers to the independent use, privacy and confidence for blind and low-vision (BLV) users. This study reports the concept development and preliminary acceptability evaluation of an accessible pregnancy-test, through a five-phase user-centred design process.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Phase 1 applied semi-structured interviews with ten BLV participants to identify the use barriers, needs and feedback preferences. Phase 2 translated these findings into a Product Design Specification. Phase 3 developed a concept combining tactile result feedback, a structured interaction flow and a sliding mechanism separating the sample-application area from the result-reading area. Phase 4 produced a 3D-printed prototype with manually operable mechanical features for tactile exploration, but without electronic sensing and diagnostic functionality. Phase 5 used the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)-informed semi-structured interviews to examine the perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and behavioural intention to use.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The participants prioritised clear results, simple operation and privacy and generally preferred Braille and raised tactile markers over vibration and voice. The preliminary evaluation indicated positive perceptions of usefulness, ease of use and willingness to use the concept.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings suggest that accessible pregnancy testing must prioritise not only non-visual result reading but also privacy, dignity, reproductive autonomy and independent health management. These results represent the preliminary evidence of acceptability rather than a conclusive test of device effectiveness and further functional, technical and clinical validation in the real-world conditions is required to fully understand the benefits of the new concept.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":" ","pages":"1-24"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149197108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Technological interventions in dyslexia: a neurobiological perspective of language learning.","authors":"Monicka Sre R V, R Joseph Ponniah","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2026.2741504","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2026.2741504","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Developmental dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental language learning disorder characterised by persistent difficulty in phonological processing and fluent word recognition. To address these challenges, a range of interventions has been developed to support reading acquisition and fluency. These interventions include a promising field of technological aids that cater to a broader audience. However, the limited understanding of the neurobiological effects of technological interventions restricts significant evaluation of their effectiveness. The paper examines the influence of technological interventions on the neural mechanisms that support reading in individuals with developmental dyslexia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This narrative review maintains methodological precision by focusing exclusively on literature that bridges the gap between instructional technology and its neurobiological outcomes, offering an integrated analysis of behavioural and neurobiological shifts in literacy development.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>The findings suggest that the technological interventions enhance phonological processing efficiency by strengthening neurocognitive networks and promoting compensatory activation patterns. However, these results cannot be widely generalised due to the inconsistencies in intervention design and methodological rigour. Thus, to take a closer look at the efficacy of technological interventions, this paper aims to offer a comprehensive neurobiological review of the effects of interventions and assistive technologies, highlighting the neural and behavioural outcomes while pointing to unresolved questions for future investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":" ","pages":"1-18"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149184284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Charise Alexandra Fonseca de Mesquita, Ana Beatriz Gorini da Veiga, Mariana de Freitas Dewes, Claudia de Souza Libânio
{"title":"Designed for whom? A patent landscape analysis of adjustable laboratory workbenches through the lens of Universal design.","authors":"Charise Alexandra Fonseca de Mesquita, Ana Beatriz Gorini da Veiga, Mariana de Freitas Dewes, Claudia de Souza Libânio","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2026.2745424","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2026.2745424","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To investigate whether patented innovations in adjustable laboratory workbench design address the access needs of students and professionals with disabilities, using Universal Design as an analytical framework.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A systematic patent review was conducted across three databases (WIPO Patentscope, Espacenet, and INPI-Brasil) using IPC code B01L9/02 combined with terms related to laboratory workbenches, height adjustment, accessibility, and ergonomics. Searches were conducted up to October 2025, yielding 232 records. Following pre-established inclusion and exclusion criteria, 48 patents published between 1973 and 2024 were selected. Each patent was evaluated against the seven Universal Design principles using a structured three-point ordinal scoring instrument (0 = absent; 1 = partial/implicit; 2 = explicit), developed inductively through qualitative content analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among the 48 patents analysed, 64.6% explicitly referenced ergonomics, while only 4.2% mentioned accessibility. Only two patents addressed the needs of users with disabilities as an independent design criterion. Flexibility in Use was the most represented principle (100% presence; 85.4% explicit application), while Equitable Use showed the lowest rates (16.7% presence; 4.2% explicit application). Perceptible Information and Size and Space for Approach and Use were substantially absent, indicating limited attention to sensory and spatial accessibility.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Laboratory workbench innovation has advanced ergonomic optimisation for able-bodied users while consistently omitting accessibility considerations for persons with disabilities from its design scope. The technological basis for accessible solutions already exists; the barrier lies in design intent rather than technical capability. Universal Design must be adopted as a guiding criterion from the earliest stages of product development.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":" ","pages":"1-19"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149185227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Intelligent assistive technologies in rehabilitation for older adults with Alzheimer's disease: systematic review and thematic analysis.","authors":"Mengyao Yu, Changhua He, Lijun Shi, Zhengkai Huang, Baili Wang, Qianyu Liu, Si Cheng","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2026.2735597","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2026.2735597","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>With population ageing, cognitive and functional impairments associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) place demands on rehabilitation and long term care. Although intelligent assistive technologies (IATs), existing studies remain fragmented in terms of their development, application, and implementation. This study aimed to systematically review evidence on IAT applications in AD rehabilitation and developed, implemented, and evaluated.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic review was conducted using a predefined search strategy four electronic databases (PubMed, Taylor & Francis Online, Scopus, and Web of Science). Two reviewers independently screened titles/abstracts and full texts according to predefined criteria, yielding 26 eligible studies. Methodological quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), and thematic analysis was used to synthesise the findings and extract key themes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The 26 included studies were generally rated as having moderate to high methodological quality. Most studies were small scale feasibility trials, with reported benefits mainly in user engagement and short term improvements. Evidence for sustained cognitive and functional improvement remains limited. Thematic analysis identified 4 core themes and 15 sub themes, covering technology modalities, intervention design and implementation, rehabilitation outcomes, and influencing factors.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The proposed Intelligent Intervention Development (IID) framework integrates technology development, intervention design and implementation, rehabilitation outcomes, and influencing factors. Moving beyond feasibility studies, future research should address long term effectiveness, implementation strategies, and scalability in real world care settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":" ","pages":"1-32"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149185299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bethany M Sloane, Heather A Feldner, Lisa K Kenyon, Samuel W Logan
{"title":"The power mobility clinical life cycle: pediatric therapists' views, behaviors, confidence levels, and training hours.","authors":"Bethany M Sloane, Heather A Feldner, Lisa K Kenyon, Samuel W Logan","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2026.2742754","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2026.2742754","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Examine paediatric physical and occupational therapists' views, behaviours, confidence levels, and training hours received based on roles identified in the Power Mobility Clinical Life Cycle.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>This study was a descriptive, cross sectional, and non-experimental design. 219 participants completed a survey that asked demographic questions, views towards power mobility, and frequency of behaviours, confidence level, and training hours received across six roles: talking to families about power mobility, referring for mobility assessment or to power mobility specialists, writing letters of medical necessity and working with insurance and equipment vendors, monitoring power mobility fit and function, providing power mobility experiences, and creating and monitoring power mobility training programs.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants considered power mobility for children with mobility delays at a mean age of 19 months. Child safety was the most important child-related factor to consider. A family's ability to provide the child with regular opportunities to practice power mobility (88%) and their openness to power mobility (86%) were the most important family-related factors. Participants reported infrequent behaviours, limited confidence, and a lack of training hours received across power mobility roles. Sixteen possible respondent profiles were created based on low and high categorizations of views, behaviours, confidence levels, and training hours received. Most participants (79%) fell into a profile characterised by high views but low behaviours.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Despite reporting highly favourable views about power mobility for young children with mobility delays, therapists report limited behaviours, confidence levels, and training hours received across power mobility roles.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":" ","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149184400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Gesture-based rehabilitation as an assistive technology for post-infectious and post-critical illness disabilities: opportunities and challenges.","authors":"Muhammad Usman Ali, Ujala Nauman Ghumman, Maryam Shakeel Raja, Ezza Noor, Fahad Ramzan","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2026.2745368","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2026.2745368","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This commentary examines gesture-based rehabilitation (GBR) as an assistive technology within an ecosystem for survivors of infectious diseases with neurological disabilities. It describes the roles of computer vision, markerless motion capture, depth cameras, artificial intelligence-driven pose estimation, wearable sensors, smartphone-based tracking, and virtual or augmented reality, while considering infection control and global accessibility.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>This commentary was developed by synthesising the existing literature, with an emphasis on camera-based motion capture, gesture-controlled serious games, AI-driven pose estimation, wearable movement sensors, smartphone tracking, and virtual or augmented reality rehabilitation systems. The analysis compares outcomes from traditional neurological conditions, such as stroke and Parkinson's disease, to the specific needs of infectious disease survivors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Evidence from stroke, Parkinson's disease, and other neurological populations suggests that gesture-based systems may support motor rehabilitation, patient engagement, and remote monitoring. GBR may also reduce the need for direct patient-therapist interaction. However, there is currently insufficient direct evidence on the effectiveness, safety, and feasibility of these systems among survivors of infectious diseases. Additional barriers include hardware costs, limited digital infrastructure, and unequal access in rural and resource-constrained settings.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>GBR offers a versatile method for aiding recovery after infectious neurological illnesses. Nonetheless, its safety, effectiveness, and practicality in these groups remain uncertain, as most evidence comes from non-infectious neurological conditions. Specific studies on these populations are necessary before routinely recommending these technologies, along with strategies to overcome technological, financial, and access-related challenges.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149171208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}