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Fortune database entry no.
56
Book:
Magazin:
Project Description:
Internet Resource:
Area(s) of Application:
Product Development, Market Analysis, Social and Vocational
Integration
Relevant Player(s):
Research Instit., University, Manufacturer, Dealer, Enduser,
Consumer Organisat., User Organisat.
Thematic Issue(s):
Methods / Strategies, Training / Methods
Methods/Strategies:
Case Studies, Discussion Groups, Field Studies, Focus Groups
/ User Groups., Interviews, Questionnaires, Usability Tests
Example of user involvement in product development and technology
assessment and training concerning technical aids
Abstract:
The Forschungsinstitut Technologie-Behindertenhilfe (FTB) is
the general department for requirement analysis, research, development,
evaluation, and exploitation of assistive technology of Evangelische
Stiftung Volmarstein (ESV). ESV is a large orthopaedic rehabilitation
centre with about 1200 employees and about 1300 disabled persons,
which provides the necessary background for analysis, test,
and application of technical aids for the individual needs of
people with disabilities and elderly people.
In 1996 FTB got the acknowledgement as an scientific institution
at the FernUniversität-Gesamthochschule-Hagen from the
Ministry of Science and Research of Nordrhein-Westfalen.
FTB is organised in three areas of responsibility, the information
centre, the development centre and the test centre.
The tasks of FTB comprise for example:
requirement analysis with direct involvement of handicapped
and elderly people and the rehabilitation personnel,
technology studies and market surveys within rehabilitation
technology industrial sectors with a certain emphasis on user
involvement,
development of new future oriented aid concepts with regard
to socio-economic aspects as well as human, medical and psychological
items,
advice of elderly people and people with handicappes concerning
technical aid and accessibility,
organisation of workshops for technology training, information
exchange for users, rehab staff and external interested people,
demonstration of new technical opportunities towards the practise,
education and qualification of professionals, advisers and peer
counsellors,
functional test of available technical solutions,
investigation of modern technologies for rehabilitation purposes
and their adaptation, further development with respect to rehabilitation
and practical investigations of useful applicability,
Name of Institution
FTB
FTB-Homepage.
If you have got any questions, please feel free to write an email to:
webmaster@ftb-volmarstein.de
FTB is part of 
and scientific institution at 