Mobile as Assistive Technology: How Digital Assistive Technology is Transforming Lives

A new research project could eventually benefit millions of people with vision, hearing, and other impairments, by enabling them to use smartphones and related mobile apps. Launched in Kenya, India and Brazil in partnership with Google and ATscale, delivered through our UK-aid AT2030 programme.

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Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) is a research and practice centre driving disability innovation for a fairer world. Operational in 41 countries, with more than 70 partners, we've reached 28 million people since launching in 2016.

Our Themes

Minister for Disabled People Tom Pursglove launches GDI Hub's new research lab at UCL's new campus on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. “I see [GDI Hub] as being front and centre of the UK’s 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."

1 November - 1 November 2022

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Minister for Disabled People Tom Pursglove visited GDI Hub to launch our brand new Research Lab at UCL East on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Image of the minister addressing the room with GDI Hub branding behind him.

What we do

WHO Training in Assistive Products: a new open access online training resource for primary health workers

Training in Assistive Products (TAP) is a new open access online training resource to prepare primary health and other personnel to fulfil an assistive technology role. This new global resource has been driven by support from UK aid through GDI Hub's AT2030 programme.

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Image of a young man in a red t-shirt sitting in his wheelchair inside a community space

Our UK aid funded AT2030 programme explores and tests innovative ways to get more AT to the people that need it around the world.

To date we've published 150 influencing papers, supported 27 AT ventures, developed 63 partnerships to support AT capacity and enabled 47 African countries to view the Paralympics for the first time.


AT2030 was designed to explore, and test innovative ways to address these systematic challenges, and to get more AT to the people that need it around the world.

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Three Graduates stand outside a UCL sign on graduation day with 2 professors from the MSc programme. One graduate is using walking aids, and all three (one man and two women) are wearing graduation robes. The large UCL letters are painted brightly and all the people in the photo are smiling warmly at the camera.

Apply for our UCL based Disability, Design & Innovation MSc

Our Disability, Design and Innovation MSc is the first of it's kind, seeing design engineering meet global policy and the societal context of disability, this multidisciplinary programme takes theory into practice - harnessing academic excellence, innovative approaches and co-creation to tackle global challenges from a new perspective.

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