Assistive technology is a broad term that refers to a wide range of original, modified, or customized equipment, tools, or systems that are “used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.” This could be people living with hearing loss, language disorders, voice loss, or mobility issues.
Since the 21st century, assistive technology has been going through rapid advancements. This also means more and more devices are available for people living with a disability, and it’s also more affordable for users.
Assistive technology is also steeped in a rich history, dating back as far as the 19th century. Although the origins of assistive technology go further back than that, with the first wheelchair hundreds of years ago, the creation of braille in the 19th century is commonly referred to as the root of modern assistive technology devices.
Current and future students studying speech-language pathology courses, like an online SLP program, would benefit from learning about the history of assistive technology. It’s a great way to get a further understanding of how the devices work, what drove innovation, and how the roots paved the way for the future.
What is assistive technology?
Before delving into the history of assistive technology, it’s important to define what it is as it is a catch-all term that encompasses a range of devices. Assistive technology includes:
- Technology for vision, like magnifiers, braille displays, talking devices, text-to-speech programs, and phones with tactile buttons.
- Assistive technology for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. This might be personal amplification systems (hearing aids), vibrating alarm clocks, captioning software, and doorbells with flashing light alerts.
- People living with speech disabilities can get assistive technologies like voice amplification systems, artificial larynxes, communication boards, speech-generating devices, and speech output software.
- Assistive technology exists for those with learning, cognitive, and developmental disabilities. These include memory aids, text-to-speech systems to aid with learning, smartphone apps/specialized software, and reminder systems.
- Technology exists for those who require mobility assistance. These include wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches, and scooters.
- There is assistive technology for daily living tasks, which can help those living with a disability or seniors with functional limits. Good examples of this include dressing aids like zipper pulls, automatic soap dispensers, switch-adapted appliances, easy-grip handles, and robot vacuums.
- Environmental adaptations are also a form of assistive technology, like automatic door openers, lifts, and systems designed to make controlling electronics easier, like voice control.
- Products that promote safe access to transportation and vehicle modifications also fall under assistive technology. This includes hand controls, raised roofs, and adaptive seat belts.
Modern assistive technology is often attributed to its origins in the 19th century, but it actually dates back further.
For instance, there is evidence of canes and crutches dating back thousands of years, being used in societies like Ancient Egypt and Palestine as mobility aid tools. Evidence of rudimentary prosthetic limbs crafted from wood and metal has also been found in Rome and Egypt.
Although the history of canes and crutches hasn’t been much studied, research theorizes that their use dates back to primitive man—when we first evolved to stand upright and walk. They would have used walking aids to relieve disease, trauma, and deformity.
URL: https://unsplash.com/photos/monk-walking-while-holding-cane-near-white-wall-WQjh3zBDY_4
The history of assistive technology
From ancient aids like crutches, canes, and rudimentary prosthetics to today’s smart electronics and advanced devices, the history of assistive technology is deep and fascinating. It also highlights humanity’s inventiveness and compassion.
1824 - The birth of braille
Although wheelchairs and ancient aids, like canes, have been around for hundreds to thousands of years—with researchers believing they date back to the primitive man—the roots of modern assistive technology are often attributed to the creation of braille.
Braille was invented by Louis Braille, the technology’s namesake, in 1824. Louis Braille, who was blinded at the age of three, invented the system while he was a student at the Institution Nationale des Jeunes Aveugles (National Institute for Blind Children) in Paris.
When Louis Braille entered the school for the blind in Paris in 1819, he learned of a system of “tangible” writing using dots, invented several years earlier by Charles Barbier.
Barbier’s writing form was known as “night writing” and was thought to be intended for nighttime battlefield communications. However, writing from Barbier suggests that he hoped his night writing form could be used by those with visual and/or hearing impairments—Louis Braille did just that.
Louis Braille used Barbier’s work as a starting point, which consisted of a 12-dot configuration. He then simplified this, by cutting the 12-dot configuration into a 6-dot cell system which could be easily read and used universally.
Louis Braille’s development of braille was a breakthrough for assistive technology and people living with blindness or visual impairments. It profoundly changed education and communication for them.
The advancements in braille don’t stop there, either. In 1951, it was made possible for people to type in braille due to the Perkins Brailler Typewriter.
URL: https://unsplash.com/photos/a-page-of-a-book-i8UxWRabF0E
1935 - Talking books
Audiobooks play a massive role in assistive technologies for those with blindness or visual impairments. Before the days of Audible and Spotify, however, talking books were on the scene back in 1935.
In 1935, phonographs were found to be a useful educational and entertainment tool for those who were visually impaired. The phonograph's first use for “talking books” was in England for soldiers blinded in war.
1952 - Transistor hearing aids
The history of hearing aids dates back surprisingly further than most people would think. There are records of hearing loss and assistive listening devices dating back hundreds of years, with examples as early as the 13th century.
The assisting listening devices of the 13th century were worlds apart from the hearing aids we use today, but run on the same principles. In the 13th century, people living with hearing loss would use hollowed-out horns of animals as primitive hearing devices.
In the 18th century, ear trumpets were invented which improved the design of hearing horns. These ear trumpets, similarly to the horns, would collect sound and funnel it through a narrow tube to the ear.
From the 18th century to the 20th century, assistive listening devices would go through a range of different iterations and innovations before they landed on transistors—the base for the widely used hearing aids we have today.
The move to small, discrete hearing aids that resemble the ones we have today started in 1948 when Bell Telephone Laboratories invented the transistor. This allowed hearing aids to be worn completely inside or behind the ear.
2010 - Smartphones
The invention of smartphones and the smart devices that followed, like watches and tablets, have opened the doors to countless opportunities when it comes to assistive technology.
Smartphones, especially Apple’s iPhone devices, have become the gold standard for assistive technology. This is because there are plenty of first and third-party tools available for people living with speaking, hearing, and communication-related disabilities.
These assistive tools include text-to-speech applications for visual impairments, closed captions for people living with hearing loss, and voice recording.