Smart Technologies for Improving the Quality of Life of People with Disabilities

Following the success of the 1st Workshop at the 8th IEEE International Smart Cities Conference in Paphos, Cyprus, 2022, and the 2nd Workshop at the 9th IEEE International Smart Cities Conference in Bucharest, Romania, 2023, the organizers propose the 3rd Workshop in the series.

The rapid pace of innovation and advances in technological research have given hope to people with disabilities to find ways to navigate their environment and enhance their quality of life (QoL). Through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), availability of data, high bandwidth, a large number of connected devices, and collaborative technologies, the lives of people with disabilities can be improved by providing them with greater independence and safety. Moreover, smart technologies support sustainable economic growth and the well-being of citizens, relying on a robust ICT infrastructure.

With the rise in smartphones, wearable devices, and the surge in the adoption of AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR), new opportunities have emerged for people with disabilities to lead a better QoL. Key sectors such as public areas, transportation systems, and home automation can be enhanced using advanced technologies to meet the needs of citizens with disabilities. Recent technological advancements offer innovative solutions for building inclusive systems that cater to an aging population and individuals with disabilities.

Workshop’s Scope and Aim:

In today’s busy world, accessing information, performing everyday tasks independently, and engaging in education or employment are crucial for individuals with disabilities. Therefore, it is essential to enable them to lead fulfilling lives. With the help of ubiquitous computing and smart technologies, individuals with disabilities can interact with their surroundings and other humans anytime and anywhere.

Some of the challenges faced by the elderly and people with disabilities in society today are primarily associated with mobility and navigating known and unknown obstacles. Smart technology solutions, such as intelligent transportation systems, and smart healthcare, can help mitigate these challenges and improve accessibility. These solutions must be supported by proper legislation to ensure inclusivity and accessibility for all.

While smart technologies offer the potential to enhance the QoL for individuals with disabilities, privacy and cybersecurity risks need to be addressed during the development of such systems. With proper protocols and security measures, these technologies can also reduce environmental degradation, promote sustainability, and improve the well-being of citizens. In particular, applications in Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) are emerging as promising solutions, although their adoption is still in its early stages. User acceptance, accessibility, privacy, and security are prerequisites for these technologies to achieve sustainable success.

This workshop aims to present state-of-the-art research on how smart technologies can improve mobility, accessibility, and QoL for people with disabilities. Researchers are invited to contribute innovative and original research papers or insightful review papers. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following areas.

Topics:

• Ambient Assisted Living (AAL)
• Public areas enhanced by smart technologies for people with disabilities
• Transportation systems supported by smart technologies for people with disabilities
• Smart home solutions for people with disabilities
• Obstacle detection and space perception for enhanced mobility
• Crowdsourcing solutions to assist people with disabilities
• IoT applications for people with disabilities
• Artificial Intelligence solutions for people with disabilities
• Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) applications for people with disabilities
• Smart living environments for accessibility and independence
• Smart health solutions for improved well-being
• Users’ experiences with smart technologies in various settings
• Security, privacy, and trust in smart systemsChair:

Co-Chairs:

Drishty Sobnath
e-mail: D.Sobnath@hw.ac.uk
School of Mathematical & Computer Sciences, Heriot Watt University, Dubai Campus

Moustafa Nasralla
e-mail: mnasralla@psu.edu.sa
Communications and Networks Engineering Department, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Ikram Ur Rehman
e-mail: Ikram.Rehman@uwl.ac.uk
School of Computing and Engineering, University of West London, United Kingdom

Parisa Saadati
e-mail: Parisa.Saadati@uwl.ac.uk
School of Computing and Engineering, University of West London, United Kingdom

Sama Aleshaiker
e-mail: Sama.Aleshaiker@uwl.ac.uk
School of Computing and Engineering, University of West London, United Kingdom

Laden Husamaldin
e-mail: Laden.Aldin@uwl.ac.uk
School of Computing and Engineering, University of West London, United Kingdom

Technical Programme Committee:

• Sara Paiva, Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Portugal
• Bilyaminu Auwal Romo, University of East London, UK
• Ijaz Ul Haq, University De Lleida, Spain
• Bilal Qureshi, University of Lakki Marwat, Pakistan
• Danish Mehmood, SZABIST, Pakistan
• Muhammad Imran Aslam, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Pakistan
• Muhammad Zeeshan Shakir, University of West Scotland, UK
• Muhammad Khurram, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Pakistan
• Naveed-ul-Hassan, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Pakistan
• Sunila Akbar, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Pakistan
• Aamir Anwar, University of West London, UK
• Parisa Saadati, University of West London, UK
• Maged Abdullah Esmail, Prince Sultan University, Saudi Arabia
• Sagar Mahajan, Prince Sultan University, Saudi Arabia
• Umashankar Subramaniam, Prince Sultan University, Saudi Arabia
• Zeeshan Sattar, Ericsson, Canada
• Muhammad Kamran Naeem, Research Fellow, University of Wolverhampton, UK
• Shakeel Ahmad, Associate Professor, Solent University, UK
• Sérgio Lopes, Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Portugal