For much of human history, life for those living with a disability has been less than optimal. But over the last few decades, technological advances have raised the quality of life for millions. You might think of the wheelchair, the elevator, and the accessible vehicle.
But we should also consider medical technologies which empower disabled people and help them to lead lives that, in many senses, are barely distinguishable in terms of quality from those of their able-bodied counterparts.
Let’s take stock of some of the most significant changes, and see what changes might be on the horizon.
Medical Technology Advancements
Just a few years ago, the world of prosthetics and orthotics was very different to the way it is today. These devices are now engineered to much higher standards, and the design process is often guided by the very people who end up as users of them.
And what about more recent developments, like integrated sensors and AI-driven algorithms? While large-language models like GPT-4 might have stolen many headlines over the last year, these machine-learning algorithms are of a different sort. They can take in sensory data and ‘clean it up’ to the extent that people with auditory and visual impairments can see and hear much more clearly than before. The same principles can also be applied to false limbs, allowing for automatic and effortless distribution of weight, and much greater stability.
Cultural Shift
Technologies are only developed where there is a demand for them, and a willingness to supply the necessary expertise and raw materials.
Over the last few decades, the visibility and prominence of disabled people have risen to an incredible extent. You might consider stand-up comics like Rosie Jones, reality show contestants like The Traitors’ Mollie Pearce, or deaf Strictly Come Dancing winner Rose Ayling-Ellis.
Media representation helps to provide a rebuttal to any stereotypes that might be floating around society. It’s easier to empathise with people belonging to a particular group when you’re exposed to them.
It’s this broader change in attitudes toward disabled people that has helped to push funding for new technologies and legal changes that seek to support those people.
Ongoing Challenges and Areas for Improvement
Of course, none of this progress should suggest that there isn’t more work to do. New technologies might be developed with the potential to improve the quality of life for many disabled people. The distribution and affordability of existing technologies might also be improved. This might mean making regulatory changes, and driving up funding. More fundamentally, it means driving up awareness, and making taxpayers and would-be donors more aware of the difference their funding might make.
Facilitating Access to Support
Ensuring that the relevant support is available to every disabled person means a combination of interventions by industries and governments. Charities have a role to play, as does the legal profession. A good medical negligence solicitor, for example, will help disabled people to contend with any barriers they might encounter.