Courses – Fakultet tehničkih nauka u Novom Sadu

Subject: Assistive Information and Communication Technologies (17.BMIM2A)

Native organizations units: Department of Power, Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering

Type of studies	Title
Master Academic Studies	Biomedical Engineering (Year: 1, Semester: Winter)

General information:

Category	Scientific-professional
Scientific or art field	Telecommunications and Signal Processing
ECTS	6

Various types of disabilities and an increasing proportion of the older age population are a motive for this course. The objective of this course is to expand students' knowledge of information and communication technologies in the view of their use for both persons with disabilities and the elderly. These technologies include various types of aids and interfaces for communication of human with his environment, specialised in terms of a specific type of disability. In the course, students will gain knowledge of the technical aspects of different solutions, as well as the particularities of certain types of disabilities, whose knowledge is necessary for the design of assistive applications of information and communication technologies.

Knowing the difference between certain categories of persons with disabilities, and understanding their needs and abilities when the new information and communication technologies are in question. The possibilities and best practices on how new technologies can help to overcome the handicap and improve daily activities to both the people with disabilities and the elderly or injured people. Students in this course will acquire basic knowledge necessary for the design of assistive systems that rely on information and communication technologies, both from a technical point of view and from the point of view of specific needs and capabilities of their end users.

•Retrospective of assistive technology. •Assistive technology for people with various types of disabilities (visually impaired, hearing-impaired persons, persons with speech impairment or delay in speech development, persons with impaired physical abilities). •Human-computer interfaces for different categories of persons with disabilities. •Aids and services for persons with disabilities developed on the basis of speech technologies. •Systems for remote monitoring and medical surveillance of patients. •Robots as assistive technology. •Perspectives of development of assistive technology.

Lectures are performed with PowerPoint presentations accompanied by numerous audio and video attachments and animations. They are followed by exercises in the Laboratory of Acoustics and Speech Technologies and the Laboratory of Mechatronics, Robotics and Automation at FTS. Visits are planned at the school "Milan Petrovic" for children with disabilities and the Faculty of Defectology in Novi Sad, as well as in the Institute for Experimental Phonetics and Pathology of Speech in Belgrade, where students can see assistive technologies in practice. The exam prerequisites are a seminar work and 3 of 4 tests - the condition for entering the exam is 25 of 50 points. Seminar works are done individually, while the best from some topics are presented and bring additional points. The first part of the exam can be passed through a colloquium. Independent student work is supported through the web portal of the Chair of Communications and Signal Processing - www.telekom.ftn.uns.ac.rs.

Authors	Title	Year	Publisher	Language
Editors: Hersh, Marion, Johnson, Michael A (Eds.)	Assistive Technology for Visually Impaired and Blind People	2008	Springer	English
Hersh, Marion A., Johnson, Michael A (Eds.)	Assistive Technology for the Hearing-impaired, Deaf and Deafblind	2003	Springer	English

Course activity	Pre-examination	Obligations	Number of points
Presentation	Yes	No	10.00
Coloquium exam	No	No	20.00
Test	Yes	Yes	10.00
Written part of the exam - tasks and theory	No	Yes	50.00
Test	Yes	No	10.00
Test	Yes	Yes	10.00
Term paper	Yes	Yes	20.00
Test	Yes	Yes	10.00