The use of high technologies and special assistive devices for people with physical disabilities is an important part of their life. High hopes have been placed on digitalization, particularly the internet, as a catalyst to diminish divides in communities of individuals with physical challenges (Johansson et al., 2021). Those technological tools allow people from this category to communicate with the outside world, communicate with other parts of society, and significantly prevent the development of the digital divide. In a scenario where individuals with disabilities are compelled to rely on their families, there is a lack of appropriate support programs that enable transportation, building access, availability of knowledge, and communication in various configurations (Manzoor & Vimarlund, 2018). Considering particularly assistive devices, innovative technologies can upgrade and reinvent current solutions that possess a set of shortcomings that need to be eliminated. Assistive devices mainly affect people’s daily activities with physical challenges, and the introduction of new technologies will take the simplification process to a new stage. For instance, modern inventions allow the implementation of a smart house technology that ensures the domestic operations’ maintenance on an automatic level.
With regard to the positive impact of technological solutions on people with physical challenges, two types of influence should be emphasized, which include facilitating and simplifying daily activities and helping to remove social limits. Information technology has the potential to assist people with impairments to integrate more completely into society (Manzoor & Vimarlund, 2018). However, one potential negative effect of technology can be described as over-digitalization of the environment for people with physical difficulties, leading to rejection and isolation. Despite the presence of this drawback, with the competent and thoughtful implementation of innovative technologies, the benefits of such solutions for people with physical difficulties are more extensive.
Reference
Johansson, S., Gulliksen, J., & Gustavsson, C. (2021). Disability digital divide: the use of the internet, smartphones, computers and tablets among people with disabilities in Sweden. Universal Access in the Information Society, 20(1), 105-120. Web.
Manzoor, M., & Vimarlund, V. (2018). Digital technologies for social inclusion of individuals with disabilities. Health and technology, 8(5), 377-390. Web.