Access For All

Senior (Social Ethical and Privacy Needs in ICT for Older People: a Dialogue Roadmap) project is organising its final conference on 27 November in Brussels, Belgium. This support action developed a systematic assessment of the social, ethical and privacy issues involved in ICT and ageing. This will help to understand what lessons should be learned from current technological trends and how to plan strategies for governing future developments, ensuring that new ICT meet the needs of senior citizens without compromising privacy and ethics. The main outcome is a roadmap which will be presented then as well.

Where?: Borschette Centre, Brussels, Belgium

Due to limited seating, please note that they reserve the right to limit the number of people attending the final conference. There is no fee for attendance, but all who would like to attend needs to contact Valeria Balestrieri (valeria.balestrieri@cssc.eu) at least two weeks in advance.

More information at the project website.

The Centre of Excellence in Universal Design invites you to the launch of the Council of Europe report “Achieving full participation through Universal Design” (Main Conference Room, Custom House, Custom House Quay, Dublin 1. Thursday 1st October, 2009).

This launch is being held as part of Positive Ageing Week (Friday 25th September to Saturday 3rd October) and the UN International Day for Older Persons.

Universal Design is a strategy for making environments, products, information and communication technology and services accessible and usable by everyone – particularly people with disabilities, older people and people of different sizes.
This book outlines the European position on Universal Design, makes recommendations to government on its implementation and provides examples of good examples from around Europe.
A panel of experts will discuss the benefits and challenges of implementing Universal Design in a range of projects and situations.

Date: 9:30pm – 1:30pm. Thursday, 1st October, 2009.
Location: Main Conference Room, Custom House, Custom House Quay, Dublin 1.

Agenda:
09:15 –10:00am Welcome and opening
Minister John Gormley T.D. Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (TBC)
OR
Maire Hoctor, T.D., Minister of State with Responsibility for Older People, Department of Health and Children (TBC)
TBC, Chairperson, National Disability Authority
Angela Garabagiu, Council of Europe
10:00 – 10:45am “Achieving full participation through Universal Design”
Mr Jean-Marie Vanhove, Flemish Agency for disabled people, former Chair of the Committee of Experts on Universal Design
10:45- 11.00am Coffee break
International Perspectives and Good Examples
11.00am – 1:00pm
(TBC) “Norway: Universal Design as an overall strategy”
Olav Rand Bringa, Consultant, The Ministry of Children and Equality, Norway
(TBC) “Greece:” Constantine Stephanidis, Professor at the Department of Computer Science of the University of Crete
(TBC) “Spain: ”Cristina Rodríguez-Porrero, CEAPAT
(TBC) “USA: ”Peter Blanck, Burton Blatt Institute, Syracuse University
Spaces for this launch are strictly limited. RSVP to Linda Rowan at lbrowan@nda.ie, tel: +353 (0)1 608 0456 and include any dietary or access requirements

Our representatives joined the MCA team (one of the exhibitioners at stand 37) at Research Connection 2009 conference and exhibition which will take place in Prague from 7 to 8 May 2009 under the Czech Presidency of the European Union. More information can be found at the event website.
“Inclusion without borders” presented the Integrated Projects ASK-IT and OASIS, funded respectively under FP6 and FP7, and that address mobility and accessibility, and an enhanced quality of life for older people through ambient assisted living technology. In addition, several other projects that support the inclusion of people with disabilities and older people were equally presented in introduced to stand visiotors.
The working ASK-IT services (mobility impaired users can organise their trip according to their accessibility needs and the accessibility characteristics of the places they intend to visit and of the different possible transportation means or paths) were presented, while also the ASK-IT domotic application was demonstrated. Additionally, an OASIS mock-up, showing how older people will be guided in their daily life with regards to their dietary life, as well as healthy lifestyle was presented as well.
Interested visitors were also able to subscribe to the respective project/end-user/developer communities. Leaflets off all projects were made available, as well as an instructive ASK-IT 3D video was displayed continuously.