Assistive Technology: Making Things Possible, One Device at a Time

April 4, 2025

With the 2025 National Assistive Technology Awareness Day approaching on April 30th, now is the perfect time to explore the definition of an Assistive Technology Device.

While there is an official, federal definition, simply put, an Assistive Technology Device includes ANY tool or system that enhances and improves the functional capabilities of people with disabilities, including those aging into disability or not yet identifying as disabled. It is all about independence, safety, and thriving at school, work, and in the home of one’s choice.

Assistive Technology can be as basic as a rubber band wrapped around a saltshaker to distinguish it from the pepper for someone who’s blind-as pictured above. Or it could be as high-tech as an eye-gaze controlled speech communication device for someone with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease).

Even everyday “off-the-shelf” items can be Assistive Technology! Think about voice assistants (like Google Home), smart home devices (like door sensors), or even smartwatches. For most people, these gadgets are just convenient. But for someone with a disability or an aging adult, these tools can be life-changing! They don’t just make life easier—they make things possible.

And let’s not forget: Assistive Technology Devices go by many different names such as—adaptive tools, aging tech, supportive technology, accommodations, and even “do-dads, gadgets, and thing-a-ma-jigs”. Regardless, it’s all Assistive Technology (AT). In fact, the term has been officially recognized since at least the late 1980s, when the Technology-Related Assistance Act put AT on the map.

Take a look around…Assistive Technology is everywhere!

Topic(s): Assistive Technology