A unique research and development team brought together by Novita is investigating accessibility and inclusion issues that may need a technical solution to make life easier for people living with disability.

The Innovita group is made up of people living with disability who have been tasked with looking at some of the everyday challenges faced by people living with disability and coming up with innovative products and solutions to meet those challenges.

The group’s coordinator, Novita community inclusion worker Michael Neroni, says some of the products the team might consider may not yet be on the market.

“The team has already talked about issues such as wheelchair modifications that might make life easier for users,” says Michael.

“They’re looking at different ways that you might be able to modify an existing product, or develop a new product that may not exist yet that could help people living with disability to meet some of those daily challenges in life.

“The ideas discussed by the team are passed on to Novita’s Assistive Technology business unit Novitatech, where the technicians and therapists consider the ideas for further development.

“If we can come up with a modified or a new product as a result of the Innovita team’s work, then we’ll market it to Novita’s clients and families, as well as the broader community,” he says.

Michael says the aim is to fill gaps in the market to support the independence goals of people living with disability.

“Ideally that’s what the Innovita team will find – things that perhaps don’t currently exist or maybe multiple things that do exit but can be combined to create an even more useful or inclusive product for a wider range of people,” he says.

“It will definitely be a proud moment for the team when something we have discussed and developed becomes reality.

“Who better to look at issues and challenges that people living with disability face in their everyday life than people living with disability.”

 

In the photo: Innovita team members Charlie, Ruby and Patrick.