The Swedish Institute of Assistive Technology, SIAT, has a focus on assistive technology and accessibility in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The owners are the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions.
A large part of our work concerns sharing knowledge with professionals who work in the field of assistive technology. We achieve this through pilot projects, courses and networks on both national and international levels. We assist companies and organisations in Sweden develop ideas for new assistive devices and help improve conditions for exporting Swedish technology and technology support.
Our work has contributed to the development and improvement of assistive devices. Examples include the easy-to-use Doro mobile phone, the award-winning Veloped wheeled walker and the Ippi, which is connected to TV sets to receive images, films, audio and text messages from mobile phones and computers.
Employees at the Swedish Institute of Assistive Technology have different backgrounds, and include, for example, physical and occupational therapists, architects, sociologists, behavioural scientists and engineers. Thanks to our varied competencies, our aggregate knowledge of assistive technology and accessibility is vast.
In our work, it is important to stay in contact with people who use assistive devices. We have a user council that serves as an advisory body
to our Board. It is composed of people from organisations of people with
disabilities and older people.