The 5th edition of the AccessAbilities Expo, to be held in the Dubai World Trade Centre from October 9 to 11, will showcase an array of new technologies and innovations for people with disabilities.

More than 250 exhibitors, brands and rehabilitation centres for people with disabilities are making their way to the Middle East to participate in the expo that is expected to be the largest B2B platform in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region focusing on technology for People with Disabilities.

The event, which is expected to attract approximately 12,000 visitors with special needs from more than 70 countries, will feature manufacturers and distributors of assistive technology and rehabilitative products, who will be displaying advanced products and technologies for the first time in the region.

Some of the prominent participants in the exhibition organised by Nadd Al Shiba PR and Event Management emphasised that the UAE is one of the most accessible countries in the world, addressing the needs of people with disabilities and providing them with the latest innovative technologies and products to help them live independently.

Engineer Khalid Al-Khatib, CEO of Naffco Group, said: “Our participation in this important exhibition expresses our humanitarian duty towards People of Determination and is part of Naffco’s social responsibility through sponsoring this event and displaying the latest systems and equipment that it produces to serve them.”

Alive Holistic Medical Rehabilitation Centre, a Dubai-based facility for physical therapy, holistic health consultations, physical medicine and rehabilitation, physiotherapy, and bioenergy therapy, said that the advances in technology and innovations have led to the development of a wide range of assistive devices and tools that meet the needs of specific disabilities and aims to enhance independence and accessibility, allowing people with disabilities to participate more actively in daily life.

The AccessAbilities Expo 2023 will be used to launch temperature-controlled Z-Pods sleeping capsules designed to help children with autism and sensory processing disorders. Z-Pods is the first American company to provide children with a customizable, sensory-friendly enclosed safety bed.

These renewable spaces come packed with features like smart lighting control, white noise generation, Bluetooth speakers, and others. Dr Laila Hareb Almheiri, CEO of Z-Pods, said, “We believe that with these tools people can find a more comfortable place to sleep as Z-Pods provide improved emotional, educational, and physical outcomes that are observed while they sleep better.”

Ana Lucia Frutuoso, Founder and CEO of Portugal-based ZenSenses, said that the Expo has helped promote inclusivity, rehabilitation, and assistive technology in the Middle East region, where caregivers and families of People with Disabilities have been constantly seeking a range of activities and techniques to enhance their conditions.

At the Expo, ZenSenses will unveil a support program that helps implement sensory spaces, whether in community centres, hospitals, airports, schools, clinics, or homes, where the concept of “Snoezelen,” or multiple stimulations, has spread.

Ray Gilani, General Manager of Gilani Mobility Solutions, said the disabled community can expect to see and experience an innovative wheelchair conversion designed specifically for them to give them more independence, freedom, and comfort in their personal space.

Robin Lin, Director of BioBase, said that his company will display its wheelchairs and hospital beds that will help people with disabilities move and sleep properly.

In turn, Engineer Ahmed Saleh, Director of Life World Medical Supplies, said that the new technologies directed at people with disabilities that will appear soon will include improved imaging systems, smart robots, wearable technology, and simulation platforms, while this company specializing in mobility solutions will launch manually driven bicycles and electric wheelchairs.

Middle Eastern company Manafeth will unveil the convoluted swivel car seat as part of its wide range of health and mobility equipment. This advanced seat changes the rules of the game for individuals who suffer from mobility challenges and allows a smooth exit from the car.

At the Korean pavilion, LBS Tech will present a wheelchair navigation service using augmented reality technology that will provide information to people with disabilities about the accessibility of commercial stores or public facilities. Users of this service, which has its own algorithm, can obtain route instructions using technology. Augmented reality to explore the best route safely and easily. Siwan Lee, CEO of LBS Tech, said the route navigation service for people with disabilities works on route data, and he expressed his confidence that his company's first-ever participation in the AccessAbilities Expo will help promote the service in the region.

His compatriot Eric Ju Yoon Kim of Dot Incorporation who will be exhibiting Accessible Kiosks at the AccessAbilities Expo 2023 said, people with disabilities now don’t need anyone’s help to obtain information as they can get it independently through this innovation. This technology has been of wider use at busy facilities like public health centres, subway stations, and airports.

Andy Faulkner, CEO of Topland, a leading supplier in the Middle East and North Africa region of products and services to enhance accessibility in places and businesses, said that the company will showcase its latest assistive products and conduct live demonstrations on video doorbells, telephone alert systems, and vibrating fire alarms that aim to help the deaf or hearing impaired.

Giscard Bechara, General Manager of Starkey Middle East and Africa, said the “Evolve” hearing aid based on artificial intelligence, will be unveiled at the exhibition. It can perform up to 55 million personal adjustments every hour. It brings the power of AI to users’ fingertips, allowing people to access alternative settings for difficult listening environments. – TradeArabia News Service