AI-Assisted Devices: A New Hand for the Disabled

It was a wonder for the world, perhaps, but not for Stephen Hawking. He was paralysed from head to toe for years. While still enrolled at Cambridge, he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS) at the age of 21. When he was first diagnosed, his doctors gave him two years to live. However, he ultimately spent more than fifty years coping with the illness.

Communicating through a voice synthesiser, which he operated with the use of a single cheek muscle, he was able to continue with his scientific research, publication and lecturing. He reshaped scientific thinking about the universe, especially black holes and their elusive properties.

His story is not an exception. Be it musician Stevie Wonder, Frida Kahlo of Mexico or Louis Braille of France, the world is full of inspiring journeys that people with disabilities live. Indian soil is too, evident of such stories, be it classical dancer Sudha Chandran, music director Ravindra Jain or Paralympian Deepa Malik.

Disability is the most widely accepted term for a condition that interferes with an individual’s ability to perform key life activities. The United Nations defines it as a “social” concept, the result of a mismatch between someone’s abilities and the environment. This definition contrasts with the medical model of disability, which defines it as a health condition. Assocham cites that, according to global research, 80 per cent of disabilities are acquired between the ages of 18 and 64 — their prime working years.

But the world is not as near as it seems for people with disabilities.

This is exactly what Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, GoI, believes when he talked about three prevalent issues: accessible infrastructure, employment opportunities and education for people with disabilities. Addressing Assocham’s sixth conference on Empowering Persons with Disabilities through Accessible & Assistive Technology, Aggarwal motivated the audience to not help PwDs out of charity but to include them in designated job profiles and not quotas.

Focused on the theme ‘Innovation and Sustainable Solutions for Equal Opportunities,’ he shared that the event aims to empower Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and foster a more

inclusive ecosystem. The conference aligns with the vision of Viksit Bharat, aspiring to position India as a Global AT Hub. Driven by competitive manufacturing costs and supporting government policies like Make in India, India can position itself as a key player in the global market.

Stats Are Not Good For The Disabled

According to Census 2011, people with disabilities in India constitute 2.21 per cent of the total population. Out of the total population of persons with disabilities, approximately 15 million are men and 11.8 million are women. These include people with visual, hearing, speech and loco-motor disabilities, mental illness, intellectual disabilities, multiple disabilities and other disabilities.

Anil Rajput, Chairperson of the Assocham National CSR Council, said, "According to the Who, 16 per cent of the world's population, which is over a billion people, has some form of disability and 80 per cent of these live in developing countries, with mobility being a critical factor in the lives of PwDs. In this context, I appeal to the automobile manufacturers in India to bring in the latest technologies in vehicles for disabled people that are being used in different parts of the world."

About 36 per cent of people with disabilities are working, of which 47 per cent are male and 23 per cent are female. The literacy rate among people with disabilities is around 55 per cent, compared to the national average of 74 per cent. Children with disabilities have a lower school attendance rate, with only about 61 per cent of disabled children attending school. Among the workers with disabilities, 31 per cent constitute agricultural labourers. These numbers are given by Assocham.

It is not the case that attempts have not been made. One of the key international instruments in this area is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which was adopted on 13 December 2006 and came into force on 3 May 2008.

In India, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 replaced the earlier Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995. It expanded the list of recognised disabilities and aligned Indian law more closely with the UNCRPD. The Act provides for the rights of persons with disabilities and their full participation in society. The Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) launched in 2015 aims to make government buildings, public transport and information and communication technology accessible to persons with disabilities.

But what matters is the outcome and data shows that it is not good. The disabled are finding themselves vulnerable in education, adaptability, employability and social inclusion. Social stigma and discrimination are common.

Amit Singh, Partner at EY, stressed collaboration among the government and private sector to create sustainable solutions for civil society and reduce barriers to participation. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising the field of emerging technologies by augmenting assistive devices' capabilities, personalising experiences and boosting accessibility.

There is also a lack of meaningful employment and social engagements for people with disabilities. Furthermore, rural areas remain highly affected, accentuated by general poverty considerations and poor access to health services.

Ensuring healthcare accessibility for individuals with disabilities is crucial for promoting equitable health outcomes and improving the overall quality of life. Individuals with disabilities often face physical, communication and attitudinal barriers when seeking healthcare.

Dipendra Manocha, President of the Daisy Forum of India, highlighted government policies that can encourage the mass production of assistive devices through subsidies, tax incentives and grants for research and development. AI-based devices may bring relief to the lives of PwDs. Tools like Dragon Naturally Speaking and Kurzweil 3000 assist students with reading difficulties and writing impairments by converting text to speech and vice versa. Applications like Bookshare provide access to a vast library of accessible books for students with visual impairments or reading disabilities. Software like Jaws and Zoom Text assists employees with visual impairments by converting text to speech or enlarging on-screen content. Speech recognition software, such as Dragon Naturally Speaking, enables individuals with physical disabilities to control computers and input text using voice commands.