DATA2600 Assistive and welfare technologies Course description

Assistive technologies - AT - are equipment, software or device used to increase, maintain or improve functional abilities for people with disabilities. Such equipment can be helpful to improve ability to take part in social activities, studies and working life, and can provide greater independence and control over one’s own everyday life.

Welfare technology is a common term for all technical installations and solutions that can improve the individual’s ability to get by in their own home, and contribute to ensuring quality of life and general well-being. Welfare technology can provide better services for elderly people living at home, patients in nursing homes, in the field of intoxicants and mental health, and people with disabilities. Welfare technology can also provide more efficient use of resources in the health and care services.

In this course you will learn how to plan, design, evaluate and test solutions within assistive and welfare technologies.

None beyond general admission requirements

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Knowledge:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the most important assistive technologies and welfare technologies being used today, and have a thorough understanding of how they work.
• Command a thorough understanding of the sensory, physical and cognitive functional disabilities and its consequences for social activity.
• Be able to distinguish the human and technological prerequisites needed for technical systems to function for users with disabilities.
• Critically assess and discuss the assistive and welfare technologies in a health and societal context.

Skills:

• Be able to address the user’s different needs, and to propose and implement technological facilitation.
• Demonstrate an ability to evaluate and consider user interface in relation to the needs of a person.

General competence:

• Reflect on how technology can assist people with and without disabilities
• Understand, communicate and implement solutions for different user needs
• Reflect on ethical dilemmas related to human interaction, technology and social participation

Lectures and tutorials. The student works individually and in groups (two to four students).

None.

Portfolio assessment with the following portfolio requirements:

• A group project (2-4 students, written report of approx. 20 pages)
• An individual project (written project of approx. 20 pages)

For the portfolio assessment, a comprehensive assessment is given with one final grade. Exam results can be appealed. In the case of a postponed examination, a different form of examination may also be proposed and used or a new assignment with a new deadline will be given. If an oral examination is used, its final grade cannot be appealed.

All aids are allowed as long as the rules for source referencing are followed.

Graded scale A-F.

Internal sensor. External sensors are used regularly.