Since January, Abilia has a semester-long collaboration with students studying industrial design at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm. The students will support people with disabilities in their daily lives by creating products solving a need to manage time. Time is an abstract phenomenon and for people with, for example, ADHD, autism, or dementia, it can be difficult to grasp the concept of time. How long an activity takes or when it is time to round off to be on time for another activity is not at all equally tangible for everyone and can cause problems in everyday life.
To gain an understanding of the cognitive challenges that may arise, we at Abilia have shared our knowledge in the field with the students. With our input and their own research, they will develop prototypes that help users manage time. The task takes place in three phases: analysis, concept and production. Until recently, students have worked with the analysis phase and they are now entering the conceptualization phase. A total of 100 students in 24 groups are involved in this collaboration.
“We see this as a very good initiative to create a greater awareness in society about what life looks like for people with disabilities in general and cognitive limitations specifically. The more people who have knowledge about different challenges in people's lives, the better it will be for those with special needs. It feels very good to assist with our knowledge and experience in addition to what we already do within Abilia today. Together we create greater understanding and contribute to a better life for people with disabilities. It is also wonderful to see the passion that the students take on the task ", says Jenny Berglund, Portfolio Manager Abilia.
