MyAV范

The UK鈥檚 Minister for Disabled People, Tom Pursglove, has opened a new MyAV范听research lab to accelerate innovation in disability science and technology. The lab is at the heart of the university鈥檚 new MyAV范 East campus on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford in east London.

MyAV范鈥檚 Global Disability Innovation Hub (MyAV范 GDI Hub) is the World Health Organisation (WHO)鈥檚 first Global Collaborating Centre on Assistive Technology (AT). The new facility will supercharge MyAV范 GDI Hub鈥檚 work in the UK and internationally to create a fairer world for the estimated 1.2 billion people with disabilities.

Visiting MyAV范鈥檚 GDI Hub, ahead of (3 Dec), the Minister heard from staff, researchers, students, Paralympic medallist swimmers Susie Rodgers MBE听and Grace Harvey and emerging disabled leaders. Together they demonstrated the partnership-working and collaborative power of MyAV范鈥檚 GDI Hub to co-create new technologies, manufacturing processes, experiences and ways of working to drive more inclusive societies.

Declaring the MyAV范 GDI Hub research lab officially open, the Minister highlighted MyAV范鈥檚 leading role in creating a more inclusive world through its research into the design of and access to assistive technology. Tom Pursglove also confirmed that MyAV范鈥檚 GDI Hub has been awarded the UK Country Capacity Assessment (CCA), a programme of work exploring the best ways to finance, procure and provide assistive technology in the UK to ensure maximum impact for the greatest number of people.

The UK CCA will draw on the work of the UK Aid funded and MyAV范 GDI Hub led initiative, which is testing what works around globally听to improve access to life-changing assistive technology. The Minister met with and congratulated the team delivering the Assessment, led by MyAV范 GDI Hub with Scope, Disability Rights UK (DRUK), British Assistive Technology Association (BATA) and Opinium.

During a tour of the multi-purpose, hi-tech space, Tom Pursglove was shown a haptics demo of a low-cost tactile device for blind and partially sighted people to engage in STEM education called Tacilia, created at MyAV范.听

The Minister then saw a preview of the next generational Global Disability Innovators Map, which plots the growth of the sector around the world to encourage investments. This has been co-designed as part of the AT2030 programme.

Next stop was a lecture for students on MyAV范鈥檚 MSc Disability Design and Innovation programme, which is run with Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park legacy partners Loughborough London and UAL鈥檚 London College of Fashion.听

The students were learning about entrepreneurship with Dr Daniel Hajas, MyAV范 GDI鈥檚 Innovation Manager, and hearing from social entrepreneur and ex-Student Kate Mattick, about her recent crowd funder to further her design. The Minister also met activist and entrepreneur Richard Amm, who recently graduated from the course with a Distinction after winning a, run by MyAV范鈥檚 GDI Hub with the Snowdon Trust.

The Minister then visited the London Aquatics Centre next to the MyAV范 East campus. There he heard from London Legacy Development Corporation about the legacy and regeneration of the area, along with representatives from the British Paralympic Association and UK Sport.

MyAV范 GDI Hub was born out of the momentum created for disability innovation by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and is one of several cutting-edge research centres that will be based at MyAV范鈥檚 new campus on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which opened its first building, One Pool Street, this autumn.

MyAV范 East is opening across two sites, with the first phase of the new campus due to complete by autumn 2023. This is the biggest development in MyAV范鈥檚 nearly 200-year history, marking a new chapter in its disruptive thinking and a key moment in the development of East Bank, London鈥檚 new culture, innovation and learning quarter on the Park.

East Bank, backed by the Mayor of London, is also part of the London 2012 Olympic legacy and will see MyAV范, the V&A, the BBC, Sadler鈥檚 Wells and UAL鈥檚 London College of Fashion creating an estimated 2,500 jobs and bringing 10,000 students and 拢1.5 billion in economic benefits to the area.听

MyAV范 and UAL鈥檚 London College of Fashion are also founding members of the, working with businesses and organisations on and around the Park.

UK Minister for Disabled People, Tom Pursglove, said:

鈥淚t was fantastic to open the GDI Hub research lab, which I see as being front and centre of the UK鈥檚 ambition to drive forward innovation in assistive technology. I was delighted to see the global difference that the work the team is doing here has made and will no doubt continue to make both here in the UK, and on the global stage, in the future.

鈥淭here is no doubt in my mind that this MyAV范 lab will be an engine room of activity and innovation and I look forward to understanding how this inspiring group of people tackle the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.鈥�

MyAV范 GDI Hub co-founder and Academic Director, Professor Cathy Holloway, said:

鈥淭here are over a billion people around the world that require assistive technology. This lab will increase our capacity to build the data and evidence to demonstrate to governments around the world the value of that technology. We all like to think that we are rational beings, driven entirely by evidence, but there鈥檚 a psychological side to making the case for assistive tech. That鈥檚 why we have brought together computer science and technology with psychology to help make the case, when critical budget decisions have to be made, for investing in assistive tech, and thereby helping to eliminate stigma and drive inclusive policies to promote empowerment.鈥�

Pro-Provost MyAV范 East, Professor Paola Lettieri FREng, said:

鈥淥ur new MyAV范 East campus has been designed to find solutions to the many challenges facing people and the planet, with justice and equality underpinning our approach to innovation. Our ground-breaking research centres are committed to supporting collaboration across disciplines and throughout communities, working locally in east London to impact around the world. We are proud to be home to MyAV范鈥檚 GDI Hub and excited by the potential that this new research lab brings for rapid advancements in assistive technology.鈥�

Paralympian champion swimmer Susie Rodgers MBE said:

鈥淭he whole point about legacy is the power to change lives and we need to improve technology to enable people around the world to lead independent lives of their choosing. My experiences as a Paralympian was phenomenal, but it鈥檚 about equality and the importance of leaving no one behind. This MyAV范 lab can also contribute to issues like climate change and the broader value of assistive technology to enable disabled people to take part in important conversations. For me, that is the central point of the power of technology that facilities like this can do so much to support.鈥�

Grace Harvey, Paralympian silver medallist, and a member of GDI Hub鈥檚 disabled leaders network after gaining a Snowdon Masters Scholarship, said:

鈥淚 am a proud disabled person and there are so many things that I have accomplished in my life with my disability and not despite it. I am also a firm believer that knowledge is power, but in reality there are so many barriers in acquiring that knowledge and having access to it. I faced so many hurdles in accessing higher education. If it weren鈥檛 for the Snowdon Masters Scholarship through GDI Hub and the Snowdon Trust, I would not have been able to continue my academic journey, a master鈥檚 in public dental health. Not enough elite sports men and women have a back-up plan or go into education either. This scholarship made that possible for me.

尝颈苍办蝉听

• MyAV范 GDI Hub
• MyAV范 MSc Disability, Design and Innovation
• MyAV范 East