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Implementing open-design to obtain affordable and accessible assistive technology for people with disability.

Ongoing

Assistive technology (AT) enables people to live healthy, productive, independent, and dignified lives. With this technology people with disability (PwD) can participate in education, the labor market and civic life. Paradoxically, several studies on the field report high rates of rejection and abandonment. Today, only 1 in 10 people in need have access to assistive products. Some of the reasons pointed out as responsible for these phenomena are lack of overall fitness, high costs and experiencing high barriers while procuring the device. Within this project we aim to transfer a multidisciplinary approach on the implementation of open-design AT within real-life rehabilitation & inclusion contexts.The overall goal of this project is to start a community service learning program (CSL) between two disciplines (industrial engineering and occupational therapy) for extending rehabilitation services to the community in Bolivia Special attention will go to those with physical impairments in the rehabilitation centers (RCs) in Bolivia, starting in the area of Oruro.

Intervention type

South Initiatives

Duration

01/01/2019 - 31/12/2021

This project is being implemented in:
Flemish promoter Lieven De Couvreur
Local promoter Miguel Ruiz
GEO Kurt Debaere
Local partner institution Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen
visit www.howest.be
Local partner institution Universidad Tecnica de Oruro
Other local partners Universidad Mayor de San Andrés
visit http://www.umsa.bo
Humanity and Inclusion/Handicap International
visit http://www.handicapinternational.be/
Budget € 69.961