Technology Assessment of the
U.S. Assistive Technology Industry
Recommendations
AT Industry Data
- Foreign competitors : Assessments of the competitive status of
U.S. AT manufacturers and providers of AT services should be prepared periodically
by industry. Information gathering should encompass: market share data on
major product classifications; reimbursement policies on AT products for
people with disabilities in other nations; and subsidies by national governments
for R&D and manufacturing of AT products.
- Market position: The AT industry should commit to collecting comprehensive
information on the assistive technology market in the United States and
overseas. The industry should use this data to prepare detailed reports
on sales revenues, market trends, and related issues on an annual or biannual
basis. The assessments should include projections of future market performance
when possible.
Regulation & Trade
- Education: The AT industry and federal agencies should hold periodic
forums to educate AT manufacturers on foreign engineering, performance,
safety, and environmental standards that can affect product acceptance and
certification in overseas markets.
- Trade assistance : The Departments of Commerce and State and other
government agencies should consider assembling a reference guide of contacts
for understanding the performance, safety, and environmental standards and
other regulations that can affect the industry’s ability to sell in
foreign markets. This document should be posted on appropriate web sites
and linked to business, engineering, and research organizations that AT
companies utilize.
- Barriers: The AT industry should identify countries with discriminatory
trade policies and catalog punitive practices regarding the importation,
distribution, sale and delivery of U.S. AT products and services. The industry
should itemize the nature of such practices (e.g. tariffs, unreasonable
certification requirements, etc.) and actively consult the Department of
Commerce’s International Trade Administration, the Office of the U.S.
Trade Representative, and the Department of State on these issues.
- Enforcement: Where infringement and theft of intellectual property
can be demonstrated, the AT industry should request that U.S. Government
agencies intensify enforcement of U.S. and international patent laws. AT
firms participating in the BIS survey identified exact copies of U.S. patented
AT products produced in China and sold in the United States. AT companies
should consult the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration
and U.S. Trade Representative, Department of State on appropriate courses
of action, including imposition of tariffs and other punitive actions if
infractions warrant them.
Manufacturing
- Technical forums: AT manufacturers and U.S. trade associations
such as the Assistive
Technology Industry Association (ATIA) and the Accessibility
Equipment Manufacturers Association (AEMA) should organize forums to
improve the management, technical, and quality control capabilities of AT
companies in the United States, which are largely small enterprises.
- Production & management: AT industry organizations should
assemble a central reference source for AT companies operating in the United
States to: obtain assistance with manufacturing problems, get support on
training issues, learn of new processes, and identify consultants and other
resources. Survey results suggest that many AT companies are unaware of
organizations such as the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences, DOD’s
Manufacturing Technology Program, the U.S. Navy’s Best Manufacturing
Practices Program, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and
other manufacturing support organizations.
Research & Development
- Technology Transfer : AT industry organizations and federal agencies
should work together to assemble a catalog of private and U.S. Government
organizations that generate and license, or otherwise transfer, technology
to industry. Survey data suggest that many AT companies are not aware of
organizations such as the Federal
Laboratory Consortium, the National
Technology Transfer Center, and many other public and private research
organizations that are sources of technical assistance, product ideas, and
patented inventions.
Engineering and research organizations at the Departments of Commerce, Defense,
and Energy — as well as those at NASA, the National Science Foundation
and elsewhere — should on a biannual basis conduct joint information
forums to highlight inventions and other intellectual property that might
have application in assistive devices for people with disabilities. Many AT
companies are too small to spare the time or money to try to personally visit
dozens of federal R&D and engineering organizations. Survey data show
that fewer than seven percent of survey participants said they had the experience
or capability to tap the expertise at federal R&D facilities.
- Research priorities: AT companies in the United States should
establish an industry panel on R&D priorities to: 1) help companies
plan their R&D investments; and 2) aid federal R&D program managers
in determining where best to allocate their AT R&D funds; and to avoid
duplication of industry and government R&D expenditures.
In addition, consideration should be given to the establishment within the
federal government of an interagency advisory committee for assistive technology
R&D. Its charge would be to: 1) help identify promising technologies that
may be applied to address the needs of specific groups of people with disabilities;
2) advise federal agencies on research priorities; and 3) make recommendations
on AT-specific R&D programs that should be reduced in scope or eliminated.
The group should issue public reports every three years to Congress and executive
branch agencies. Membership would include: DOC (NIST), DOE, DOD, Education,
HHS (NIH), NASA, NSF and VA.
- Federal Data: Federal research and development expenditures focused
on assistive technology and people with disabilities should be collected
and assembled annually. The effort should be directed by the Department
of Education or HHS.
- Financing: Federal R&D agencies, in conjunction with AT industry
organizations, should conduct an outreach program to make more AT manufacturers
operating in the U.S. aware of the Small Business Innovation Research and
the Small Business Technology Transfer programs. Survey data show that only
14 percent of survey participants applied for such grants.
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