Design for enabling technologies. A framework to empower multi-level user engagement

The Internet of Things, smart devices, connected health and ICT have the potential to enable people, carers and families to improve the quality of health and social wellbeing. One factor that can help people with physical or cognitive impairments to learn new skills and to be connected with the world, concerns accessible interaction with media devices, such as radios, TVs, tablets and smartphones. According to input received from stakeholders of Irish-based communities of people with different abilities, one of the main barriers for users relates to a reduced level of accessibility when controlling media devices. The aim of this work is to improve users’ autonomy by providing tools that enhance users’ abilities with media device functionalities through the use of configurable prototypes of media assistive controllers. The output of the work is a proof of concept version of a methodology that matches user ability profiles to configurations of the corresponding functionalities of media assistive devices according to the Universal Design approach. This framework enables people with different abilities to independently engage with a media controller, through a multi-level interaction approach. It also facilitates users who become proficient at using a device at one level to improve their capabilities to a more complex level, requiring additional users’ interaction. Finally, it provides an example of how the ICF can be leveraged to suggest accessibility configuration parameters for devices of this type.