Study into tech which can help disabled
A group of Loughborough University academics have been awarded funding to examine how AI-voicebased technologies, such as the Amazon Echo, help people with disabilities live independently and explore how they may shape the future of social care.
Project lead Dr Saul Albert, of the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, aims to submit the research findings as evidence for the various House of Commons and Lords groups that have health, social care and technology in their remit in the hope it will lead to positive changes.
The Loughborough project will use a ‘Social Action’ research methodology to explore how people with disabilities are using technology to deal with access issues they face in their daily lives.
Social Action research involves research ‘subjects’ – in this case disabled people and carers – in codesigning and steering the project from the outset. They act as coinvestigators, having a say at every stage of the project.
As well as getting an idea of how tech is currently being used, the project will explore the wider opportunities that AI presents for the future of social care, for example, more efficient services, but also the risks, such as enabling further cuts to health and social care budgets.
Findings will be shared with disabled people’s organizations, key academic outlets, as well as parliamentary groups on AI, disability, and social care. Other researchers that will work with Dr Albert on the project include Loughborough University’s Professor Elizabeth Stokoe, Professor Thorsten Gruber, Dr Crispin Coombs, and Professor Donald Hislop, of the University of Aberdeen and previously of Loughborough University.
The team have been awarded funding by the British Academy to run this pilot project for one year. The pilot findings will then be used to develop a four-year project that is hoped to run from 2020-2024.
The research group are asking technology users with disabilities to get in touch if they would like to be involved in shaping the project. Email s.b.albert@lboro.ac.uk to express your interest.