Hackathon on Assistive Technology organized by L.D. College of Engineering in association with Voice of SAP (VOSAP).

Background:

Vision of L.D.College of Engineering:

• To contribute for sustainable development of nation through achieving excellence in technical education and research while facilitating transformation of students into responsible citizens and competent professionals.
• To keep up with the vision, L.D.College of Engineering always believes in nurturing the young talents to work for Engineering solutions that is useful to community. LDCE is entering into 75th year so as part of “AmrutArarambh” has an idea to work for specially abled people. The world has witnessed Stephen Hawking, who inspite of disabilities gave the best of Physics theories/learnings with the use of assistive technologies.

About Voice of SAP :

• Voice of SAP (www.voiceofsap.org) is a US based organization with a mission to redefine the idea of a disabled person focusing on opportunities by harnessing Special Abilities to live with Dignity and Empowerment.
• VOSAP is changing the narrative of ‘DISABILITY’ and is promoting accessibility, inclusion, and adoption of Assistive Technology with VOSAP Digital Tools such as VOSAP Mobile App, Art Platform and VOSAP AT Exhibition.

In the last 5 years more than 12,000 lives of specially abled people has been changed FOREVER.

VOSAP has been granted highest level of Affiliation as an organization in Special Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council)

THE NEED :

There are 15% people with disabilities in our society per WHO. 1 out of 10 only has Assistive Device as of now. For affordable solutions, there is need to promote innovations. This AT Hackathon encourages innovators (AT Hackathon participants) to build patentable product in assistive technologies.

SUPPORT IS NEEDED FOR

• Association of Company
  • Having footprints in assistive technologies
  • Provide APIs for development of products
  • Components/equipment support
• Awarding prizes
• Providing innovation support by mentoring
• Funding for purchase of equipments/components/services for prototype building

Themes:

• MOBILITY : Many types of orthopedic or neuromuscular impairments can impact mobility. These include but are not limited to amputation, paralysis, cerebral palsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis etc. Specially abled people or SAPs in this case needs mobility solutions to perform daily tasks that involve indoor and outdoor movement.

  Examples : -

  • Outdoor Mobility Technologies like Smart Tricycle with Solar Charging, Smart Wheelchair, etc should be enhanced keeping road safety, battery, weather and road conditions in mind.
  • Indoor Mobility Devices like Self propelled Wheelchair, Knee Scooters, etc should be enhanced with emergency response and communication systems and technologies like realtime fall detection alerts, emergency messaging/calling etc.
• COMMUNICATION : SAPs with vision, hearing or speech impairments may experience difficulties communicating and interacting with those around them. Limited information of what is happening may affect their ability to understand and make sense of their environment.

  Examples : -

  • Wearable devices like Smart bands to sense fall detections, make calls, guide indoor and outdoor map etc.
  • Smart assistance apps like apps for reading and translating written for a visually impaired person with excellent efficiency in real time.
  • Smart converting apps to convert sign language, braille etc to normal english language for a non-SAP to understand and communicate better -Smart softwares that provides and translates subtitles on a live video call.
• LEARNING : SAPs face different kinds of learning challenges with different types of disabilities that not just increases illiteracy but also unemployment among them. Right to education is a right for all, and SAPs shouldn’t be excluded as well.

  Examples : -

  • Smart softwares that teaches 21st century skills like Coding, etc to a visually impaired person, etc.
  • Smart content consumption softwares that makes online education like youtube learning easier for someone who has hearing impairment.
  • Learning for special kind that targets and help people with that particular disability to learn better - For example Smart learning apps for Autism etc.