Two Awards for Improving Everybody's Life

One for all and all for one! - this musketeer's motto is known by everyone. Design for all - with this guideline few are familiar, but it is getting more and more important for designers and technicians. That's why the European Commission has announced a European wide competition in 2004 in order to support two concepts - Design for All and Assistive Technology.

Behind all this is the effort to improve quality of life for everybody since the attempt of design for all engage designers to develop their projects with a holistic perception. That way a wide variety of people will be able to use the so created products, including disabled individuals.

But there are situations where it is not possible to apply the design for all principle. Therefore a complementary approach has to be chosen. That means: a combination of design for all and assistive technology. That's why the European Commission pursued two objectives with the announcement of the awards:

• to take another step towards a world where products will be designed for all citizens to use, regardless of their ability


• to put life in motion for disabled people who need assistive devices for mobility, hearing, speech, and other essential everyday needs

Both prices were awarded in the following categories:

• daily living


• mobility and transportation


• communication und information


• lifelong learning


• employment and professional life


• culture, leisure and sport

On top of that, a special price was given to the categories New Territory and Integrated Solutions.

At a ceremonial act at REHACARE 2004 in Düsseldorf, the European Commission honoured the winners of the first "Design for All and Assistive Technology Award”.

REHACARE.de