VIDEO: Royal Society report shows how low-cost assistive tech supports independent living
The Royal Society has released a Disability Technology report that explores the potential for data-driven digital technologies to reduce barriers that disabled people encounter in their everyday lives.
Published in 2025, the report was informed by a series of activities undertaken by the Royal Society. These include a survey of more than 800 UK-based disabled people; a nationally representative survey of approximately 2,000 members of the British public; focus groups with UK-based digital assistive technology (AT) users; literature reviews on disability data and small data; a case study analysis of digital AT in the UK, US, India and Kenya; and various roundtables and workshops on inclusive design, gaming, social care and technology transience.
Digital assistive technologies (digital AT), if designed and deployed appropriately, can be transformative in helping disabled people live more independent and fulfilled lives. From voice assistants, speech-to-text software and smartphone apps for daily living, the report highlights how disabled people are using digital assistive technologies in work, play, rest, and care.
While this report is focused primarily on the needs of disabled people, disability access is relevant to all as everyone can experience temporary and permanent disability throughout their life.
In addition to exploring the landscape of digital AT, the report is focused on various challenges within the digital AT lifecycle related to data, inclusive design and sustainable adoption. In the age of AI, built on vast datasets, this report emphasises the importance of innovative research methods, such as small data, which help researchers derive insights from limited data and can be useful for development of personalised digital AT.
The Disability Technology report defines digital AT as ‘any technology that processes information to help make people’s lives easier’. This definition of digital AT was co-formulated with disabled people as part of focus groups conducted by the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC).
Examples of digital AT include screen-readers, speech-to-text software, or smartphone applications which support daily living.
Disability data refers to information regarding an individual’s disability, for example type of disability, severity of the disability and support requirements; a disabled person’s other personal data, such as demographic details, medical history, behavioural data and individual preferences; and national or international information on disability prevalence within a population.
Disability data can be used to estimate support needs, evaluate policies and interventions and understand demand for digital AT products and services.
This data is often commissioned by policymakers to understand service provision needs and by innovators to investigate potential markets. Given its relevance for ensuring disabled people’s needs are met, it is important the data collected is trustworthy and reliable.
The report recommends that national statistics bodies should shift toward collecting data on functional challenges and limitations across populations, rather than solely focusing on disability identity. This approach would provide a more nuanced understanding of how people experience limitations in their day-to-day lives, allowing for better-informed policymaking.
It also recommends Governments should consider the smartphone as an assistive technology, and that disabled people should be meaningfully involved in the design and development of new digital products and services from the outset.
Governments, technology companies and research funders should explore initiatives to promote low-cost, interoperable and sustainable digital assistive technologies, is also recommended, and service providers should consider the social impact of replacing analogue services with digital alternatives, and Governments should ensure disabled people and carers, of all ages, are equipped with the skills required to most effectively utilise current and future DigAT.
The report has been guided by an international expert steering committee, many of whom have lived experience of disability. The steering committee included: Professor Sir Bernard Silverman FRS (Chair), Dr Vint Cerf FRS, Professor Jacques Fleuriot, Dr Hamied Haroon, Dr Louise Hickman, Professor Catherine Holloway, Prateek Madhav, Professor Paul Upchurch, Professor Seralynne Vann, and Professor Mike Wald.
Watch the video here.
