SP 3: Innovation

Delivering AT innovations in LMICs through inclusive innovation ecosystems, AT accelerator, service delivery and wheelchair provision. Horizon scanning to scope the disability mobile gap and programmes to address stigma. Partners include: GDI Hub at UCL, Shujaaz, Motivation, Bethany Kids, Amparo, Amref, GSMA, Maynooth University, University of Nairobi, Humanity & Inclusion, Stepwise, Our latest project is Mobile as AT: This project will investigate how access to mobile phones affects disabled people’s qualify of life in India, Kenya and Brazil; the extent to which the features of mobile phones can replicate or replace existing assistive technologies; and how disabled people can be supported in acquiring digital skills needed to take advantage of their mobile devices. It will also explore how it may be possible to increase access to mobile phones for people ​​​​​that would benefit from assistive technology. Partners include: GDI Hub at UCL, Google, ATscale, IIIT Bangalore, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)

Lincoln Wamae, Founder of Linccell Technology and winner of the first cohort of Innovate Now

Innovate Now - inclusive ecosystem in Nairobi

Putting disabled people at the forefront of design to ensure Assistive Technology (AT) is fit for purpose, affordable and meets the needs of those that use it. Designed by the Government of Kenya and GDI Hub, and led by AMREF Enterprises.

Overcoming barriers to scale

Innovate Now is Africa’s first Assistive Technology Accelerator, hosting start-ups for 3-6 months. The accelerator combines mentorship, workshops, guest lectures and hands-on disability expertise to help entrepreneurs become investable and scale ready. An innovative active learning model and 'Live Labs' support founders to overcome the barriers to scaling AT and create a market fit product.

Building capacity in entrepreneurs

The University of Nairobi (UoN) leads innovation activities including a Disability Fab Lab/Makerspace, an AT Makeathon, fabrication of designed AT devices, and monthly 'Field Innovation Clinics' with innovators with disabilities in order to identify and build capacity in AT entrepreneurship. UoN also conducts and support innovative research as well as clinical trials.

Find out more about the ecosystem in GDI Hub submission to the WHO GREAT Summit.

The creation of Innovate Now was informed by results from the 'Revolution in Wheelchair Provision' and 'AMPARO' trials.

Strengthening the Kenyan AT Ecosystem

Supporting the development of the Innovate Now ecosystem by identifying, addressing, and/or strengthening the facilitators and barriers to successful innovation in Kenya. Led by Maynooth University (MU) ALL Institute, UCL and GDI Hub.

Addressing the following research question: 'what are the key facilitators and barriers to successful innovation in Kenya.'

AI & Assistive Technology - powering inclusion

Developing the disability interactions manifesto to ensure people with disabilities are included in society, and that current and future AT trends are used to ensure disabled people benefit from AI. Led by GDI Hub at UCL, IRCAI/UNESCO (International Centre on Artificial Intelligence) and partners.

As a first step, the research team are working on a real-time literature watch; scraping, monitoring, and visualisation of literature on AT and provision. More information here.

DAISY - affordable electric mobility solution

Testing how children who can't walk in low-and-middle-income countries can learn to explore their worlds with an affordable electric mobility solution for children. Led by GDI Hub at UCL.

Prosthetic Service Delivery with Amparo

GDI Hub has partnered with Amparo to support a clinical trial to evaluate how the Amparo Confidence Socket could help the provision of lower limb prosthetic in Kenya; read more this AAATE paper.

AT Innovation for Humanitarian Response

Led by Humanity & Inclusion, the second proof of concept project will again build on successful demonstration funding. It combines telemedicine and 3D printing, in order to provide bespoke orthotic devices and splints for use in emergencies and remote settings.

Stigma in Youth - shifting perceptions

Ground-breaking campaign through a multimedia youth platform, Shujaaz, to shift the perceptions of millions of Kenyan youth about people with disability and thereby breaking down the barriers so that persons with disabilities can transform their communities. Led by Shujaaz Inc and GDI Hub at UCL.

Informed by the GroundTruth research, the campaign has been designed to inspire, encourage, validate & entertain young people by sharing stories that capture & explore the reality of life for young persons with disability and by inviting them and other young people to talk and share with us and each other about the lives they are living, the challenges they are facing and the changes they want to see.

A Revolution in Wheelchair Provision

Led by Motivation, this is the first of two projects to demonstrate their ability to scale. Building on the success of a Google.org grant the project used novel manufacturing methods, specifically 3D printing to provide bespoke seating and modular wheelchair construction. More information at Motivation's website.

Harness the power of mobile and ICT

Through the research undertaken to scope the disability mobile gap, opportunities were uncovered with mobile operators and disabled people to close this gap. Led by GSMA. More information here.

AT and Local Production Local Solutions

Research on the benefits and pitfalls of attempting to push out new localized approaches to production, using digital fabrication and other manufacturing methods that allow a distributed model of production. Encompassed in localization are multiple processes that both arise from it as potential benefits, and also make each other more possible - such as: the increased ability of repair services and maintenance which we know account for most of the lifespan of AT; customization which is crucial to most AT; design adaptation to local contexts; the use of locally available materials and the re-use and recycling of parts and waste materials from across the whole value chain. This inter-linked dependency across the system means that the less localized the rest of the system, the less likely any one aspect can achieve success, however, if healthy self-sustaining production & service ecosystems can be built up, then access to AT in local communities could be greatly improved.

Ben Oldfrey, a research fellow on AT2030, is now also leading on the Local Production Local Solutions theme of COVIDaction, which is focused on the supply chain issues arisen during the pandemic in various local contexts globally. LPLS is currently building capacity to produce critical products, such as PPE or whatever specific local communities need. There is great potential for the changing economics occurring during this pandemic to be a driving force towards local resilience & access to needed products. With a focus on circular economy & distributed manufacturing, LPLS has the long term aim of nurturing these more resilient local production ecosystems, which can be greatly applied to AT local production.