The development of Handy 1, a robotic aid to independence for the severely disabled

Abstract

The author describes the Handy I system which can provide people with special needs a greater autonomy, enabling them to enhance their chances of integration into a `normal' environment. Although the Handy I system will not make the users totally independent of the assistance of care staff, it will enable more personal activity and increase self-esteem. The impact of rehabilitation robotics on the community of care workers will be significant, by, for example, reducing the amount of stress present in situations where care workers assist the people with special needs on a one-to-one basis. There is a considerable need for systems such as Handy I. Due to the changing age structure in Europe, more and more people with special needs (about 10-14% of the population of the European Community at the moment), have to be served by less and less able-bodied people. Such rehabilitation robotic systems can also be regarded as a preparatory step towards the development of other robotic applications in vocational and other environments for disabled people. (6 pages)