Harmonization of assistive technology standards

Assistive technology provides people with disabilities the means to perform many activities with minimal or no assistance. Standards for assistive technology vary across countries and among technologies. Variation in standards among technologies is to be expected, due to the differences with which the devices interact with the user and the intimacy of the contact. Standards differ across countries for two fundamental reasons: mandatory standards are a means of controlling trade; and national standards often grow from a local need. Harmonization attempts to create standards that are applied equally across all member countries. The ISO is the leading standardization institution on a world-wide basis. Most assistive devices are within the purview of Technical Committee 173 (TC-173) and its subcommittees. The subcommittees of TC-173 are responsible for specific areas of assistive technology. The subcommittees are comprised of participants from the member countries that have specific expertise related to the standard(s) being developed. In the area of assistive technology, participants come from clinical professions (e.g. physical medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy), engineering (e.g. rehabilitation engineering, bioengineering, test engineering), manufacturing, test laboratories, regulatory bodies and users of assistive technology. Harmonization should bring about higher-quality products that are more widely available.