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The market for using home automation products as Assistive Technology is larger than just the individual disabled user. Many disabled users have family or other caregivers that must provide near constant attention to disabled users for needs as simple as changing a TV channel or turning on a light. Home Automation solutions can provide some relief to these caregivers as well as providing freedom to the disabled user. Mike Elder is President of Applied Future Technologies, Inc. which offers the HomeVoice and HomeISA products. AFT can be contacted at 800-790-3353, aft@appliedfuture.com or http://www.appliedfuture.com |
When Applied Future Technologies, Inc. (AFT) introduced our voice control interface product, HomeVoice, our company didn’t expect to direct much attention to the disabled community. Although my partner, Steve White, was initially encouraged by a close disabled friend to start the company, AFT’s mission statement was focused on the application and integration of technology for home systems. For AFT, this meant concentrating on engineering home automation solutions and home networks. When Steve authored HomeVoice, it was to provide a reliable, open-air, and hands-free voice interface to home automation systems. What we learned since introducing HomeVoice is that we have an important, affordable, and state-of-the-art technology for the disabled community that can significantly improve users’ quality of life and independence. We learned it initially from many inquiries we received and confirmed it by demonstrating HomeVoice and home automation products at several expos that target disabled users. AFT has found the disabled user to be a rewarding opportunity, both financially and in the ability to significantly impact and improve a person’s life. And the same opportunity is available to most of the manufacturers, dealers and installers in home automation.
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According to data from the Disability Statistics Center at the University of California, San Franciso ( http://dsc.ucsf.edu/default.html ), 34.2 million non-institutionalized people in the US were classified as disabled, i.e., had an activity limitation due to a chronic condition . This represents 14.1% of total U.S. residents. Enable Magazine estimates that consumers with disabilities had an annual spending level of $796 billion in 1996. This is a market that is significant and growing. People with disabilities are quite willing to spend money on products and services that can enhance their independence and quality of life. Many people with disabilities have financial support available for Assistive Technology products through insurance or governmental support. However, even for those with no financial support, the home automation industry can offer off-the-shelf solutions that are affordably priced for the mainstream consumers. These statistics also do not include the elderly population that can benefit from home automation in similar ways to the disabled user.
The Assistive Technology domain does offer many products for environmental control for disabled users. Most of these products are limited in function, don’t incorporate the latest technologies, and are expensive since they are targeted specifically at disabled users. In general, the disabled consumer pays a higher cost for any product identified as for the disabled. This is where the opportunity exists for mutual benefit between disabled consumers and the home automation industry. The home automation industry can provide affordable solutions that can easily be tailored to the specific needs of the disabled user. Secondly, there is a growing network of home automation dealers and installers around the US and Canada that can locally install and support these products and systems. And the disabled users can provide a profitable market for the products and services offered by the home automation industry. What better customer is there than someone who really needs rather than merely wants your products or services?
The market for using home automation products as Assistive Technology is larger than just the individual disabled user. Many disabled users have family or other caregivers that must provide near constant attention to disabled users for needs as simple as changing a TV channel or turning on a light. Home Automation solutions can provide some relief to these caregivers as well as providing freedom to the disabled user. An example of this is a HomeVoice installation in New Jersey where a son installed AFT’s HomeISA Kit for his father and added a wireless microphone on his wheelchair. He reported that not only was his father thrilled with the ability to change his own TV and radio stations, but that his mother had achieved some relief as she did not always have to stop what she was doing to make the channel change for her husband. Apparently, Dad has become quite a channel surfer as well. Attached is a description of a home automation solution installed for another disabled HomeVoice user (Susan’s Voice Controlled Solution). Also attached is the overview information that AFT provides to disabled users contemplating a home automation-based environmental control system.
Home automation can provide environmental control solutions for the following:
- lighting
- TV/VCR
- heating and air conditioning
- audio amplifiers
- CD players
- DVD players
- Tape decks
- DSS satellite systems
- appliances
- motorized drapery rods
- doors and locks
- garage doors
- sprinkler systems
- security systems
- cameras
- phones
- and much more
These solutions can certainly include a voice interface, such as
HomeVoice, to allow for hands-free control. Other user-specific needs such as door openers
and bed control are also within the capability of most home automation professionals.
Consider the example of a quadriplegic user who does the following with a voice controlled
home automation solution:
can change the TV channel,
These kind of capabilities are exactly what most disabled consumers are looking for in order to gain some measure of freedom and self-reliance.
A final word of advice to both disabled users who want to use home automation and to home automation product and service providers. The disabled user and their advocates are generally cautious about the claims of products for environmental control. Many have tried more than one assistive technology product and have been disappointed both in performance claims and wasted money for products that are now in a drawer. The disabled user deserves an honest and full disclosure on any product’s performance and limitations. Unlike an able-bodied user, the disabled user cannot necessarily go to the light switch or pick up a remote control if the home automation product fails. And unfortunately, the disabled user needs to be aware that there are home automation products that don’t perform as promised. However, the vast majority of the home automation industry participants are ethical and dependable. If both the user and home automation professional communicate properly, the end result should be a happy and empowered disabled user who will not hesitate to provide valuable referrals to other disabled users.
The following are links that discuss the use of HomeVoice and home automation by disabled users:
The Denver Post
- 1/18/99"Restoring Self Worth"
http://www.denverpost.com/enduser/health0118.htm
MSNBC.com
Enabled Ahead of the Curve - 10/14/98
http://msnbc.com/news/204570.asp
