Inclusive Innovation

Purpose

  • Build an inclusive community by developing infrastructure products including a voice assistance hub, a tech connect hub, and a Smart Tech for Independence Hackathon event.

Needs

  • Smart speakers/displays are becoming prevalent, but the usability and discoveries remain to be a problem.
  • Accessibility and usability issues with wireless products limit inclusivity, despite many existing guidelines and development tools.
  • People with disabilities are often not included in the mainstream product development and evaluation.

Activities

  • Voice Assistance Hub: Develop a web portal that supports people with disabilities, families and caregivers, and professionals to share, choose, test, and provide feedback on smart speaker functions and voice apps. Develop a conversational interface using conversational artificial intelligence (AI) to support discovery and retention of functions and voice apps curated in the web portal.
  • Tech Connect Hub: Develop a web portal that helps connect mainstream wireless tech companies/developers to people with disabilities and service professionals to facilitate inclusive design and evaluation of their products.
  • Smart Tech for Independence Hackathon: Engage people with disabilities and students from diverse backgrounds in wireless innovation using a co-design and interdisciplinary teaming approach.

Deliverables

  • Two web-portals including a voice assistance hub and a tech connect hub that help build a community of users with disabilities, families and caregivers, and professionals who not only benefit from wireless tech but also contribute to wireless product development and evaluation.
  • A number of innovative wireless prototypes from the Smart Tech for Independence Hackathon.