Editing Assistive technology (section)

== Assistive technology and innovation ==

[[File:Conventional assistive technologies patent filings 2013-2017.png|thumb|Conventional assistive technologies patent filings between 2013 and 2017. 177,398 patent families have been filed. 64% of the filings are in the [[Mobility aid|Mobility]] assistive technology.]]
[[File:Emerging assistive technologies patent fillings 2013-2017.png|thumb|Emerging assistive technologies patent fillings between 2013 and 2017. 15,592 patents families have been filed. 32% of the filings are in the [[Assistive Technology for Deaf and Hard of Hearing|Hearing]] assistive technology.]]

[[Innovation]] is happening in assistive technology either through improvements to existing devices or the creation of new products.

In the [[WIPO]] published 2021 report on Technology Trends,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2021 |title=WIPO Technology Trends 2021 – Assistive Technology |url=https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo_pub_1055_2021.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo_pub_1055_2021.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |website=[[WIPO]]}}</ref> assistive products are grouped into either conventional or emerging technologies. Conventional assisting technology tracks innovation within well-established assistive products, whereas emerging assistive technology refers to more advanced products. These identified advanced assistive products are distinguished from the conventional ones by the use of one or more enabling technologies (for instance, [[artificial intelligence]], [[Internet of things]], advanced [[sensor]]s, new material, [[Additive Manufacturing]], advanced [[robotics]], [[Augmented reality|augmented]] and [[Virtual reality|virtual]] reality) or by the inclusion of implantable products/components. Such emerging assistive products are either more sophisticated or more functional versions of conventional assistive products, or completely novel assistive devices.

For instance, in conventional self-care assistive technology, technologies involved typically include [[adaptive clothing]], adaptive eating devices, [[Incontinence underwear|incontinence]] products, assistive products for manicure, pedicure, hair and facial care, dental care, or assistive products for sexual activities. In comparison, emerging self-care assistive technologies include health and emotion monitoring, smart diapers, smart medication dispensing and management or feeding assistant robot. Although the distinction between conventional and emerging technologies is not always clear-cut, emerging assistive technology tends to be "smarter", using AI and being more connected and interactive, and including body-integrated solutions or components.

To a great extent this « conventional » versus « emerging » classification is based on the WHO's Priority Assistive Products List<ref>{{Cite web |title=Priority Assistive Products list |url=https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/priority-assistive-products-list |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=www.who.int |language=en}}</ref>  and the ISO 9999<ref>{{Cite web |title=ISO 9999:2016 |url=https://www.iso.org/cms/render/live/en/sites/isoorg/contents/data/standard/06/05/60547.html |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=ISO |language=en}}</ref> standard for assistive products for persons with disabilities, the APL delineating the absolute minimum that countries should be offering to their citizens and ISO 9999 defining those products which are already well established in the market.

This "well-established status" is reflected in the patent filings between 2013 and 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Technology Trends |url=https://www.wipo.int/tech_trends/en/assistive_technology/index.html |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=www.wipo.int |language=en}}</ref> Patent registrations for assistive technologies identified as conventional are nearly eight times larger than the ones for emerging assistive technologies. However, patent filings related to more recent emerging assistive technologies are growing almost three times as fast as those pertaining to conventional ones. Patent filings in both conventional and emerging assistive technology are highly concentrated on mobility, [[hearing]] and [[Visual perception|vision]]. Investment in emerging assistive technology also focuses on [[Natural environment|environment]]. In the conventional sector, mobility represent 54% of all patents fillings, and is an indication of increased interest in advanced mobility assistive product categories, such as advanced prosthetics, [[walking aids]], wheelchairs, and [[Powered exoskeleton|exoskeletons]].

[[File:Number of patent applications for conventional (top) and emerging (bottom) assisting technologies between 2000 and 2017.png|thumb|Number of patent applications for conventional (top) and emerging (bottom) assisting technologies between 2000 and 2017. China surpassed the annual filings of the US in 2008 and has recorded a very strong growth ever since in both conventional and emerging sectors.]]
In the past, the top patent offices for filing, and therefore perceived target markets, in assistive technology have been the [[United States|U.S]]. and Japan. Patenting activity has, however, been declining in these two jurisdictions. At the same time, there has been a surge in patent filings in China and an increase in filings in the [[Republic of Korea]]. This pattern is observed for both conventional and emerging assistive technology, with China's annual filings surpassing those of the U.S. in 2008 for conventional and 2014 for emerging assistive technology. Patent filings related to conventional assistive technology have also declined in Europe, especially in Germany, France, the Netherlands and Norway.

Patenting activity indicates the amount of interest and the investment made in respect to an [[invention]]'s applicability and its commercialization potential. There is typically a lag between filing a patent application and commercialization, with a product being classified in various stages of readiness levels, research concept, [[proof of concept]], [[minimum viable product]] and finally commercial product. According to the 2021 WIPO report,<ref name=":1" /> the emerging technologies closest to a fully commercial product were for example:

* [[Proportional myoelectric control|myoelectric control]] of advanced prosthetics and wheelchair control (mobility),
* environment-controlling [[hearing aid]]s (hearing), 
* multifocal intraocular lenses and [[Visual prosthesis|artificial retina]], along with Virtual and Augmented Reality [[Wearable technology|wearables]] (vision);
* smart assistants and [[Navigational aid|navigation aids]] (communication);
* smart home appliances (environment);  
* [[medication management]] and smart diapers (self-care).
The technology readiness level and the related patenting activity can also be explained through the following factors which contribute to a product's entry to market, such as the expected impact on a person's participation in different aspects of life, the ease of adoption (need for training, fitting, additional equipment for [[interoperability]], and so on), the societal acceptance and potential [[Ethics|ethical]] concerns, and the need for [[Regulatory compliance|regulatory]] approval. This is mainly the case for assistive technology that qualifies as [[Health technology|medical technology]].

Among these aspects, acceptability and ethical considerations are particularly relevant to those technologies that are extremely invasive (such as cortical or [[auditory brainstem implant]]s), or replace the human caregiver and human interaction, or collect and use data on cloud-based services or interconnected devices (e.g., companion robots, smart nursing and health-monitoring technologies), raising [[privacy]] issues and requiring [[Connectivity (media)|connectivity]], or raise safety concerns, such as autonomous wheelchairs.

Beyond the patent landscape, [[industrial design]]s have an added importance for the field of assistive technology. Assistive technology is often not adopted, or else abandoned entirely, because of issues to do with design (lack of appeal) or comfort (poor [[Human factors and ergonomics|ergonomics]]). Design often plays a role after the patenting activity, as a product needs to be re-designed for mass production.