Assistive technology and passengers with special assistance needs in air transport: contributions to cabin design

Abstract

There has been significant growth in air transport worldwide, as well as in Brazil. However, studies have emphasized that disabled, obese, and elderly passengers face difficulties when using this means of transport. Among these difficulties, issues related to passengers' own assistive devices, including damage, loss, or the impossibility of using during the entire flight, stand out. Therefore, the present study aims to understand the trends in assistive technology focusing on cabin design. This research is based upon literature review, interviews with manufacturers and research centers, visits to specialized trade fairs, and patent search. The results revealed a great diversity of assistive products, its trends, and an increase in their use, which affect aircraft cabin design, especially in terms of space, access, and stowage of these devices.

Airport practical tools for supporting passengers with hidden disability: a perspective of major Australian airports

“…The use of assistive technologies may enhance the accessibility of passengers with an HD and may improve the overall HDAP. For example, Campese et al, 28 suggests that airport operators could address the issue of lack of resources for passengers with hearing impairment by providing a "wireless hearing aid" to be connected with a passenger's mobile smartphone; in this way, wireless resources can allow them to receive airline boarding announcements and airport security and safety alerts. Airport operators seeking to implement an HDAP may consider the use of robotics innovations to address the issue of human interaction between passengers with an HD and airport ground service staff who lack training, as suggested by Soonthodu et al, 29…”

History of Occupational Therapy in Brazil: Inequalities, Advances, and Challenges

“…Occupational therapists also address health and vocational issues in other settings, such as factories, workplaces, and civil aviation companies (e.g., in the design of aerial cabins for persons with disabilities) (Campese, Silva, Silva, Figueiredo, & Menegon, 2016), and these target groups can be included in the labor market through analysis of industrial tasks (Simonelli & Camarotto, 2008, 2011. In general, occupational therapists apply the principles of ergonomics, work psychodynamics, and other psychological and social indicators.…”

User Stories Method and Assistive Technology Product Development: A New Approach to Requirements Elicitation

“…AT is " [...] an interdisciplinary area of knowledge, which includes products, resources, methodologies, strategies, practices, and services, that aim to promote the functionality related to the activity and participation of people with disabilities, incapacities or reduced mobility seeking autonomy, independence, quality of life and social inclusion [...]" (Brasil, 2009, p. 9). There is a big tendency in Brazil towards the development of AT products (Campese et al, 2016). While discussing product development, the requirements elicitation must be made with a systemic approach, with the goal of gathering different needs from different users (Martin et al, 2006;ABNT NBR IEC 60601-1-6, 2011).…”