People’s lives have been immensely improved by advancements in robotics technology. What was once impossible is now already attainable.
Adaptive and assistive technology, as well as brain-computer interface and implants, are only a few of the advancements that benefited the disabled.
Adaptive Technology
People with disabilities, including the blind, have also benefited from robotics technology. In the 80s, adaptive technology for people with sight impairments was developed. Experts have developed programs capable of synthetic speech based on texts appearing on screens and later on through scanned texts.
Robotics and computers have changed lives for the better. Around the world, a lot of children cannot attend school because of hearing or visual impairments, however, because of adaptive technology, learning is made possible.
BCI Technology
It is the goal of experts developing assistive technologies to aid those who are living with physical impairments. That is why extensive studies of brain-computer interface (BCI) is constantly pursued.
While viewed by many as invasive, the advantages of using neuroprosthetics cannot be understated. Vital functions such as sensing and motor capabilities are revived. Lost limbs can now be replaced by synthetic parts capable of transmitting signals to senses. Those who are hearing impaired benefit from cochlear implants.
Brain implants have also been introduced to help those afflicted by Parkinson’s disease. A very tiny device is embedded in a particular region of the brain so that electrical impulses reaches other regions thereby triggering the required movement.
Not all BCIs are invasive. There are those that involve merely neuroimaging, functioning as an interface tool. Signals are meant to stimulate implants to trigger movement. This non-invasive method can be a substitute for surgical procedures involving the brain.
Cochlear Implant Procedures
Those who are hearing impaired benefit from cochlear implants. These implants have been popular in Europe and to date, more than 120,000 patients have benefited from it. In three years’ time, it is projected that hearing impaired children could already be receiving cochlear implants before they even reach their 5th birthday.
Ethical issues could spring from robotics and technological advancements, yet no one is blind to the glaring benefits of applying these in the lives of people today. They provide each person the opportunity to lead a healthier life and with it come the privilege to engage in work and worthwhile activities.
