NECTEC PROGRAMME DEVELOPS ELECTRONIC AIDS

       The Assistive Technology Programme of the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre has developed a road map gicing direction to its efforts to create equality for disabled people and increase their quality of life.
       Programme director Wantanee Phantachat said her organisation's work had been divided into four areas: mobility, communication, information- and communications-technology access and living independently.
       In the area of the mobility, the programme is researching and developing a leg prosthesis for people whose need extends to an artificial knee joint. Using reverse engineering, it expects to develop a prototype with the help of local partners and donduct clinical trials this year.
       The programme is also negotiating with potential private-sector partners who will be able to transfer knowledge in the process of developing the prosthesis as an industrial trial before developing it for commercial production whithin the next few years.
       "We expect the programme and the partnership to be able to produce a leg prosthesis that is affordable - perhaps half the price of international products," Wantanee said.
       She said in the second area, communication, the programme was negotiating with Chiang Mai University for development of clinical trials of a digital hearing aid that waks bundled with Bluetooth and microphone functions. The goal was to develop hearing aids for local people with hearing problems.
       "We are developing a digital hearing-aid device bundled with assistive hearing systems and Bluetooth tehcnology and expect it to be finished by the end of next year," Wantanee said.
       For people with learning disabilities, the programme is planning to develop an electronic device that incorporates wor prediction, spelling checks and a talking word processor. This will help children and people who have problems comprehending normal communications.
       Finally, in order to help disabled people live independent lives, the programme is developing environmental control units, or electronic devices that use infrared and radio frequencies to remotely switch home electrical appliances on and off and transmit alert or emergency calls to relatives, parents or neighbours in the case of accidents.
       As well, the programme is developing "telerahabilitation" for disabled people via the Internet. It is expected to be available in the near future.
       "We are working with partners to develop local assistive-technology devices that will reduce the costs of importing these products as well as helping disabled people to enjoy a better quality of life," Wantanee said.
       Earlier this year, the Nation Telecommunications Commission (NTC) signed a memorial of understanding with the Thailand Association for the Blind, implementing a project that will provide access to DaisyDigital Accessible Information. Callers to a four-digit telephone number will receive an automatic feed of DaisyDigital talking content. The project targets about 200,000 people with visual impariment and about 600,000 with reading disabilities.
       The memorandum also provides for training of trainers in the use of computers and information technology and in the production of media and content for the blind.