The Danish Centre for Assistive Technology - a national knowledge centre
Welcome
The Danish Centre for Assistive Technology is a national knowledge centre under the Department of Specialist Consultancy (“VISO”). Our main purpose is to support local government and private organisations in providing qualified and efficient assistive technology services.
Our main target group is professionals engaged in providing assistive technology to persons with disabilities.
Additional target groups are decisionmakers, researchers, vendors, developers and users of assistive devices.
The Danish Centre for Assistive Technology aims to facilitate the appropriate application of the resources allocated to assistive technology. We aim to present knowledge in a way that is holistic, coherent and operational for the target groups. We strive to maximise accessibility and inclusion in society at large.
We also seek to develop and improve the quality of assistive technology, educational materials and professional methods. We help ensure that standardised technological solutions are designed, developed and applied in a way that benefits all users in general and people with disabilities in particular. This goal is pursued through technical and functional tests of assistive technology, international project participation and coordination as well as general research and development activities.
We make qualified knowledge available through our web site www.hmi.dk, our magazine »teknologi & handicap, books, networking, the publication of test results, our assistive technology database, courses, seminars, conferences etc.
The Danish Centre for Assistive Technology has offices in Taastrup and Århus and a total staff of around 35.
We are funded by the Danish Ministry of Welfare and by income-generating activities. With the information presented here we hope to increase awareness of The Danish Centre for Assistive Technology and the services we offer.
Niels-Erik Mathiassen, Managing Director
The Danish Centre for Assistive Technology
We develop knowledge
The Danish Centre for Assistive Technology develops and qualifies knowledge through a wide range of activities: tests, trials and standardisation of assistive devices, participation in national and international projects, and research activities.
Tests, trials and standardisation The test lab at The Danish Centre for Assistive Technology is accredited and draws on a large store of experience. We are involved in developing international standards and offer testing and advice concerning the safety, durability, ergonomics and function of specific devices.
We are involved in research activities concerning quality development in assistive technology services, outcome measurements etc. We record documented knowledge and make it available to professionals and research institutions to enhance assistive technology services and accessibility.
By participating in national and international projects we are involved in setting the agenda for assistive technology. These projects may be aimed at professionals or specific user groups. They may involve the development of assistive technology, technology assessment, the development of new methods, usability tests, user satisfaction surveys or the presentation of knowledge in new ways or to new target groups.
We provide knowledge
Our knowledge services include conferences, courses, networking, magazines, books and our web site.
Joining our electronic networks gives you as a professional the opportunity of participating in exchanging experiences within your specific field. It gives you access to hand-picked information, legal assistance, news and knowledge in the form of articles, appeals decisions, methods and instruments, etc. The networks
also offer rich opportunities for exchanging materials, engaging in dialogue with other members and taking part in debates and the joint development of methods and practice.
The database provides technical data and vendor information for a wide range of products. It assists practitioners in selecting and buying assistive devices and serves as inspiration for users of assistive technology and their relatives as well as provides them with an overview.
Data subscription
Local administrations and others may subscribe to information from the database, for example for use in connection with electronic inventory control. Updated data is published 10 times a year.
Our web site offers information about assistive technology and possible applications.
The web site provides access to information about assistive technology with links to relevant knowledge sources and information about specific topics. The web site also handles online book orders, magazine subscriptions, course and conference registration and access to our free newsletter.
The article database offers access to electronic versions of all articles published in HIT, hjælpemidlet (Assistive Technology) and »teknologi & handicap (Technology and Disability) since 1998.
Through the publication of books and reports, The Danish Centre for Assistive Technology helps professionals qualify their knowledge of assistive technology and practical applications within a wide range of specific areas.
We offer about 35 current titles on a number of topics such as wheel chairs, nursing and hospital beds, communication devices, the prevention of pressure sores in the seated position, IT for people with dyslexia, assistive technology for people with dementia, check lists for buyers, and assistive aids in daily life.
MagazinesThe Danish-language magazine »teknologi & handicap (Technology & Disability), published four times a year, presents knowledge about assistive technology.
The magazine focuses on the practical use of assistive technology in everyday life, accessibility and inclusion, assistive technology services and the function, quality and development of assistive devices.
The main target group of the magazine is professionals and decision-makers involved with assistive technology, but the intended readership also includes users of assistive technology and their families, vendors, manufacturers, buyers, students and researchers.
hjælpemidlet (Assistive Technology) and HIT were magazines published until the end of 2007 each covering areas within the field of assistive technology.
You can find these magazines in the article database which can be accessed on this website.
Conferences
Hjælpemiddelkonferencen (The Assistive Technology Conference) covers the general area with an emphasis on new trends, methods and research.
HITmessen (The Assistive Technology Fair) is one of our oldest recurring events. Through seminars and an exhibition it focuses on assistive technology in a wide range of areas, including special needs education, communication and play and leisure activities.
Tryksårskonferencen (The Pressure Sore Conference) features lectures and a small exhibition on new research results, experiences and products for preventing pressure sores.
Ordblinde og it (Dyslexia and IT) is a conference on the application of IT devices for people with reading and writing difficulties.
Boligkonferencen (Housing Conference) provides professionals with inspiration and knowledge of housing adaptation for persons with disabilities.
Bilkonferencen (Conference on Car Adaptation) focuses on all aspects of car adaptation for people with disabilities, which includes assessment, adaptation, safety and follow-up.
Additionally, we co-host Nordic conferences, including NAT-C and Nordisk Siddesymposium (Nordic Seating Symposium).
Courses
Courses and conferences are also an important venue for networking and the exchange of experiences.
The courses take place at locations throughout the country.