CoCreate Saudi Arabia 2022
CoCreate, a Humanistic Co-Design Initiative, is a global program for developing assistive technology (AT) solutions by local inventors .
Assistive technology (AT) is assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for individuals with disabilities or the elderly. It is any item, piece of equipment, software program, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
CoCreate’s impact aligns with the goals of King Salman Center for Disability Research who are proudly sponsoring the “CoCreate Saudi Arabia 2022”. King Salman Center for Disability Research has been the pioneer in promoting scientific research and awareness related to disability in Saudi Arabia. The Center believes that this event enhances the kingdom's international presence at the scientific forums, conferences and international communities for assistive technologies with publications, research and development. It benefits the disability community of the kingdom in many ways, including enriching Arabic content for assistive technology and universal technologies.
It is offered :
- Three-day CoCreate Workshop which will result with winning teams. CoCreate provides access to guidance, tools, and technologies supporting product designers, software developers and engineers to work on producing assistive technologies, within the contemporary social and economic context.
Three MIT research staff and up to seven MIT students will travel to Riyadh to collaborate with Saudi Arabia residents including High School and University students, working professionals, and individuals living with disabilities. MIT staff will participate in a three-day ideation workshop to construct proofs-of-concept.
MIT affiliates will form small groups (4-5 team members) with local students/professionals (from various fields) and will work closely with a person with a disability. The group will work towards identifying the limitations that co-design faces as a result of their disability and create a well-specified and documented project plan for an assistive technology device that would increase the client’s autonomy.
Visiting MIT students, local Saudi students, and professionals will attend a lecture series
- about disabilities
- assistive technology
- market research
- building client relationships
- product design
On the same day, MIT staff and students will bring Saudi students and professionals through a disability simulation to experience various degrees of disability. This includes
- simulation of visual impairment
- learning disabilities
- locomotor disabilities
- dexterity
- hearing impairment
Clients with disabilities will come to the workshop. Local and MIT students will form small groups and each group will meet each client to learn about their daily life, interests, strengths, and challenges. Afterwards, each group will identify a client they would like to work with. Through discourse, a limitation the client faces will be identified by the group and collectively the idea of an assistive technology device to remove that limitation will be created.
Groups will create a specified documented project plan of their assistive technology devices that include visual mock-ups of the devices, market research, potential production materials/technologies, and a detailed description of the device and what problem it solves. The completed project will be presented by the groups to a panel composed of professionals that have worked within the field of assistive technology. Each group will be given constructive feedback.
CoCreate is one of the few programs where individuals interested in inclusive design, across different fields, including designers, computer scientists, engineers, architects, ergonomists, individuals with disabilities, families, policymakers meet, discuss and collaborate.
There will be a registration link for the event that will be announced about later on.
