Humans have been inventing assistive technologies help each other enjoy a better quality of life for thousands of years.

There’s evidence that crutches and walking sticks were used in ancient Egypt, for example. The Romans developed basic prosthetics for amputees. The first eyeglasses were made in the 13th century, Braille and wheelchairs emerged in the 19th century, and hearing aids early in the 20th.

Today, digital technologies are enabling researchers around the world develop new ways to support people living with disabilities at a remarkable pace.

Two million people live with sight loss in the UK. In recent years, technology has helped many of them through new developments like smartphone apps which can read text or describe their surroundings with remarkable accuracy.

Here at the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of........

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