21.02.2024
The goal of connecting people with disabilities, boosting their visibility and giving them courage has been an integral part of Ottobock’s DNA for more than 100 years. The brand relaunch for the healthtech company based in Lower Saxony builds on this, to be fit for the future in which digital will be a growth driver.18.12.2023
Over 100 million people with disabilities in Europe face challenges in accessing election information through digital channels and events. The European Disability Forum has introduced checklists and scoring systems to help political parties and campaigns enhance accessibility, encouraging self-assessment and learning, with the aim of fostering inclusive communication and events.26.10.2023
There is a shortage of skilled workers – also in the therapy sector. People who need physiotherapy, ergotherapy or speech therapy due to a disability, illness or injury often have to wait a long time for entry into a program. Progress in digitalization offers new opportunities for those affected and can relieve the burden on therapists.16.10.2023
Workplace inclusion – a topic that has preoccupied many people for decades, but continues to receive little attention in society. Instead of asking what measures can be taken to make a workplace barrier-free, many people with disabilities are still excluded and labelled as "not employable".27.09.2023
Participation is not the same as taking part. Many people with a disability are no strangers to this realization. At REHACARE 2023, Susanne Schmidt from the German Association for the Hearing Impaired explained to us where the problems lie in the participation of people with a hearing impairment and what technical, but also very human solutions are possible.05.09.2023
Everyone wants to communicate, understand and participate in social life. For children and young people with disabilities in particular, it is important to train their communication and social skills at an early stage using suitable assistive devices. Various companies offer solutions that enable support in communication and participation.31.08.2023
People with disabilities have the guaranteed right to be part of the community in all areas of life. But unfortunately, there are still far too many barriers that exclude individuals from the community.25.08.2023
Doing vital things that were previously only possible with the help of others independently again – this is made possible by the assisstive devices from HIDREX GmbH. With the Obi robot (an adaptive eating device), for example, people can eat independently. The carbon hand of HIDREX offers reliable and powerful grasping. The company also offers various solutions for aided communication.17.07.2023
The medical technology company Ottobock was honored with the RI Centennial Award for its commitment to people with disabilities. The award ceremony took place as part of the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the Rehabilitation International (RI) organization in Beijing.10.07.2023
The new EU Directive on Corporate Sustainability Reporting requires companies operating in the EU to report on their practices for the inclusion of persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups. The reporting standards have been published, and companies will gradually implement them starting from the financial year 2024.03.07.2023
The Ottobock company celebrates life with its first global brand campaign #IAmAMountain. The song "Mountain" by Sam Ryder, which is the centerpiece of the campaign, is about perseverance and courage while Ottobock's campaign focuses on inspiring people with disabilities and their stories to change the image of them in society.26.06.2023
The topics of digitization and robotics are becoming increasingly tangible for us and, in many cases, they enrich our lives. They also offer a great support for people with disabilities. Speech computers can give people without the ability to speak a voice again, apps improve the effectiveness of hearing aids and care robots are already helping within retirement and nursing homes.26.06.2023
REHACARE SHANGHAI will be upgraded to REHACARE CHINA and relocated to Suzhou, offering a platform for communication and cooperation among rehabilitation companies, medical institutions, and service organizations.12.06.2023
Learning Disability Week, taking place from June 19 to June 25, 2023, aims to challenge misconceptions about life with a learning disability and highlight the achievements of individuals with such disabilities. Mencap encourages participation through reading and learning, volunteering, campaigning for equal rights, and donating to learning disability charities.05.06.2023
On May 23, the European Parliament and the European Disability Forum renewed their long-standing partnership to host the "5th European Parliament of People with Disabilities". An event that allows disability representatives and people with disabilities to share their concerns directly with European Union policy makers.03.05.2023
A visit to REHACARE is nothing like other traditional business settings. You quickly realize that this venue makes room for heartfelt and inspirational stories. One reason for this is the end users, who rely on many products as indispensable resources to master their daily lives. Another reason is business owners who forge valuable contacts with other industry participants at the trade fair.30.03.2023
The iBOT is a multifunctional personal mobility device that allows users to achieve things that were previously impossible. With twenty years of advanced technology combined into one device with six different modes, users can go wherever they want. And wherever they are, the iBOT electric wheelchair makes participation possible.20.03.2023
An evaluation report by the European Commission reported on the first three years of application of the Web Accessibility Directive (WAD). The period of the review overlaps with the accelerated digital transformation brought on by the pandemic.06.03.2023
Researchers from HSE University and the Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry have developed a machine learning model that can predict the word about to be uttered by a subject based on their neural activity recorded with a small set of minimally invasive electrodes.13.02.2023
Forgetfulness is often one of the first recognizable signs of dementia. In its early stages, the condition initially affects short-term memory and gradually progresses to more long-term memory loss. Yet there are many accompanying symptoms that make daily living for people with dementia challenging.12.12.2022
TREFFPUNKT REHACARE is your central platform for lectures, panel discussions, and the exchange of information and experience. Topics included the digitization of the workplace and recreational environment, technical assistance and vocational rehabilitation with a focus on exoskeletons, job coaching, and rehabilitation for people living with long or post-COVID conditions.21.04.2022
The new Dot Pad is not only smaller and lighter, but also much cheaper than conventional tactile displays – making them more affordable and accessible for people with vision impairments. Dot Inc makes the online world of images more accessible and aims to improve other areas as well. In our interview the Senior Manager Mergel Takam talks about the advantages and technology behind the Dot Pad.28.10.2021
Blindness or visual impairment means a loss or partial loss of the sense of sight. What it doesn't mean is that those who are impacted by this must aim lower or feel inferior. An abundance of vision aids does a fantastic job of replacing the sense of sight in the best way possible.28.10.2021
The latest communication technology trends also affect hearing systems: These tiny hearing amplifiers are getting smarter and can sometimes be connected to other systems. REHACARE.com recaps the latest trends in hearing aid technology, explains the present limitations and explores other applications for the deaf and hard of hearing community.15.06.2021
Some aids may play a minor role in life, but they make everyday life much easier. These include products from iuvas medical: on the one hand, the transparent mask miama, which makes communication in the pandemic clearer. On the other hand, the sippa drinking aid, in which the contents are kept constantly at the top by a membrane so that people with dysphagia can swallow more easily.29.04.2021
Whether it is voice recognition with or without eye tracking technology, educational or speech recognition software – assistive technology builds bridges that allow people to get in touch with their surroundings.26.04.2021
Especially for blind and visually impaired people, the lack of or non-working augmentative communication devices frequently means that they have no prospect of participating in the workplace. We discussed with Bruno Behrendt from Papenmeier why screen readers are sometimes nothing more than pretty tools and learned why technical support is THE perennial issue when it comes to customer service.22.04.2021
Head support systems for ALS patients are often not sophisticated and resemble neck braces. The University of Sheffield developed the HeadUp Collar, which can be individually adapted to the needs of the patient. REHACARE.com asked Anita Ogale, Product Manager at ProWalk, what makes the new head support system so special.14.01.2021
The way we live is becoming increasingly more modern and connected. And while some people are skeptical about smart technology, other target groups welcome the great new opportunities it affords. Control units allow people with disabilities and older adults to control and monitor their connected home devices, which allows them to continue living a self-determined life at home.14.01.2021
Everyone wants to live a self-determined life, but it isn’t always easy to implement – especially if you are an older adult or live with a disability. Fortunately, there are systems that help promote autonomy and independence in your own home. Size doesn’t always matter as even little smart helpers can give users peace of mind and a feeling of security as they navigate everyday life.01.09.2020
Coronavirus-related restrictions, social distancing, and hygiene guidelines have permeated all sections of society for months. These strategies have also affected the work of the Federal Association of Self-Help Organizations for People with Disabilities and Chronic Diseases. We spoke to Dr. Martin Danner about the challenges of the past few months and the future of self-help settings.13.03.2020
Reading texts, identifying products at the supermarket and even recognizing faces – the MyEye tool from OrCam can do just that and helps blind and visually impaired people feel more confident in everyday life. At REHACARE 2019, area sales manager Jennifer Kietzke showed us how the discreet, smart wearable assistive technology works.31.01.2020
Email has revolutionized the way we communicate. But sometimes urgent situations or issues need a one-on-one conversation via phone call. The latter can be a challenge for people who are hearing impaired or deaf. With many years of experience in remote interpreting, two service providers – TeleSign Deutschland and Tess-Sign & Script-Dienste – meet these language support needs.03.12.2019
Visibility and sharing – these are just two reasons why people living with chronic illnesses and those with invisible disabilities engage on social networks. Using words, pictures, and hashtags, they talk about their lives, raise awareness and make their illness and symptoms tangible for others.25.10.2018
Microsoft has led the way and launched an adaptive controller to enable people with physical disabilities to have nearly the same complete gaming experience as people without disabilities. Mattheaus Drory achieved a similar result. In this interview with REHACARE.com, he admits that he initially didn’t necessarily have people with disabilities in mind when he developed his one-handed keyboard.01.04.2016
Wide aisles, a lot of room between the shelves, non-slip flooring and easy-to-read price tags – this is especially important for senior citizens and persons with disabilities when they shop. But in the real world, things are often very different: shopping carts that are hard to maneuver, narrow checkout aisles or undersized dressing rooms are all too common.