For adolescents with disability, assistive technology is not just a tool enabling them to overcome a physical barrier, but a means for independence and active participation as part of society. Therefore, adopting it from a young age is critical to integration. But despite huge investments in developing assistive technologies to enable personal adjustments, about one-third of users abandon their equipment after only one year, because the adjustments are based exclusively on objective-physical characteristics, without meeting the emotional needs of the users and their families.This project offers a holistic model for codesign of tailored assistive technology, which views adolescents as experts by personal experience and maximizes their engagement in the process in order to identify emotional needs. In turn, this increases the likelihood of emotional attachment to the assistive technology, which will promote a different kind of use, not strictly functional, but also emotional, in a way that will connect the user to the technology, decrease technology abandonment rate, make for an active experience and realize the rehabilitative potential.
Assistive technology designer at the ALYN Children’s Hospital, architect and entrepreneur. Designs sets for children’s plays and festivals. Manages and consults for complex community processes. Developed unique teaching programs for outstanding students at the Ministry of Education. M.Des in Industrial Design, Design & Innovation Management Track, Bezalel. B.Des in Architecture, Bezalel. Married plus four, lives in Nataf.