Press Release


SINGAPORE AND THAILAND LAUNCH FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON ASSISTIVE AND REHABILITATIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
11 April 2007

Singapore and Thailand will be collaborating on a new event, the international Convention for Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology (i-CREATe), to promote Assistive & Rehabilitative Technology (ART) for people with disabilities and the elderly population in Southeast Asia. The inaugural i-CREATe is a tripartite effort by the Singapore Therapeutic, Assistive & Rehabilitative Technologies (START Centre), Thailand’s National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (NECTEC) and Singex Exhibitions. This is the FIRST joint effort by the two countries to promote ART for people with disabilities in Southeast Asia.

i-CREATe 2007 will be held at the Singapore National Library Board Building and the Hotel Intercontinental from 24 to 26 April 2007. The event will be formally launched by Her Royal Highness (HRH) Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Kingdom of Thailand, and Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and Second Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA) on the 24 April 2007.

The event is being reviewed as one of the signatories to the Tokushima Agreement1 and is recognised as a sister conference by the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA); RESNA is also the Technical Sponsor for i-CREATe 2007.

i-CREATe 2007 which comprise an exhibition and conference aims to provide a previously lacking platform for exchanges and showcasing of advanced technologies, equipment, techniques and materials in the field of ART. This platform is targeted at rehabilitation and education professionals working with or implementing ART including suppliers, technologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, rehabilitation engineers, educators, end-users, caregivers, governmental officials, policy planning staffs, researchers, and academicians. Members of the public are also welcomed to visit the exhibition at no cost.

Commented Dr Vivian Balakrishnan,

Assistive and Rehabilitative Technologies hold great potential for enhancing the lives of people with disabilities. However this can only be achieved if there is widespread awareness of how best to use these new technologies. This conference is therefore a timely opportunity for all stakeholders in Southeast Asia to bring ourselves up to date, exchange ideas and explore future collaborations.

Chief Executive Officer of START Centre and i-CREATe 2007 Conference General Chair, Mr Zen Koh added,

In many ways, it is we who are the "temporarily abled" just biding our time until our powers withers away: the eyes dim, the hearing fades, the knees and joints corrode. The "disabled" are merely those who got there ahead of us. We believe firmly that technologies can level the playing field for people with various physical limitations. By providing them the technological solutions/options, we may just unleash potential that was previously trapped within these individuals. i-CREATe aims to catalyse and accelerate the development and adoption of ART, and to better provide technological solutions for people with disabilities and the elderly population in Southeast Asia.

Spokesperson for the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC), Professor Pairash Thajchayapong (former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, Thailand), commented:

HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is wellknown for advocating community and social development through extensive implementation of educational and technology-related programs. Through HRH’s gracious works and leadership, various agencies such as NECTEC has formed centers such as the Assistive Technology Center (ASTEC) that work on ART-related projects. In addition, we find the partnership with START Centre mutually beneficial and crucial in promoting technologies that will level the playing field between the able-bodied and people with disabilities.

Visitors can expect more than 10 workshops organised by international renowned practitioners and experts in the field of ART. Some of the workshops include the Fundamentals Course in Assistive Technology by RESNA; the TTSH Neurorehabilitation Meeting by TTSH AMK Rehab Centre; and Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) Workshop by AAC Institute.

Other highlights include state-of-the-art technological showcases of the latest ART instruments by local and international manufacturers including Hitachi’s "Kokoro Gatari" device which allows patients with ALS or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis2 to connect with their families. In line with its aim of increasing technology adoption among the local disabled community, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) is sponsoring 25 sets of i-CREATe full passes (valued at S$472.50 each) for individuals with special needs to participate in the event at no cost.

1 Signed 26 August 2000, the Tokushima Agreement is a collaborative effort between membership organisations to promote the field of rehabilitation and assistive technology. Organisations include The Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe (AAATE), The Australian Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Association (ARATA), The Rehabilitation Engineering Society of Japan (RESJA) and RESNA.

2 ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease is a progressive, incurable disorder of the nervous system which causes degeneration in both upper and lower motor neurons resulting in muscle weakness. One well-known public figure who is afflicted with ALS is Professor Stephen William Hawking (born 8 January 1942).


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SIX NEW PRODUCTS AT FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON REHABILITATION AND ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED COMMUNITY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
24 April 2007

Singapore and Thailand will be collaborating on a new event, the international Convention for Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology (i-CREATe), to promote Assistive & Rehabilitative Technology (ART) for people with disabilities and the elderly population in Southeast Asia.

The inaugural i-CREATe will comprise an exhibition and conference held at the Singapore National Library Board Building and the Hotel Intercontinental from 23 to 26 April 2007. Visitors to the exhibition can see various technologies, equipment, techniques and materials in the field of ART. Over 50 products will be showcased, of which six are new or enhanced versions of existing products. Highlights include state-of-the-art technological showcases by local and international manufacturers including Hitachi’s "Kokoro Gatari" device which allows patients with ALS or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis to connect with their families, Lab Rehab’s Pro Balance rehabilitation equipment as well as InSiPhil’s enhanced electronic video magnifier. Entry to the exhibition is opened to public at no charge.

i-CREATe is a tripartite effort by the Singapore Therapeutic, Assistive & Rehabilitative Technologies (START Centre), Thailand’s National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (NECTEC) and Singex Exhibitions. This is the FIRST joint effort by the two countries to promote ART for the elderly and people with disabilities in Southeast Asia. It will be launched by Her Royal Highness (HRH) Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Kingdom of Thailand, and Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and Second Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA) on the 24 April 2007. Besides innovative products, visitors can expect more than 25 workshops and presentations by international renowned practitioners and experts in the field of ART. The conference boasts many "firsts" including the First RESNA Fundamentals Course in Assistive Technology in Southeast Asia and the First Tan Tock Seng Hospital Neurorehabilitation Meeting. Jennifer Lowe, who has cerebral palsy and yet an internationally recognized advocate for speech impaired people, will also be in town to co-present the Augmentative & Alternative Communication workshop.

This event is targeted at rehabilitation and education professionals working with or implementing ART including suppliers, technologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, rehabilitation engineers, educators, end-users, caregivers, governmental officials, policy planning staffs, researchers, students and academicians.

Commented Dr Vivian Balakrishnan,

Assistive and Rehabilitative Technologies hold great potential for enhancing the lives of people with disabilities. However this can only be achieved if there is widespread awareness of how best to use these new technologies. This conference is therefore a timely opportunity for all stakeholders in Southeast Asia to bring ourselves up to date, exchange ideas and explore future collaborations.

Chief Executive Officer of START Centre and i-CREATe 2007 Conference General Chair, Mr Zen Koh added,

In many ways, it is we who are the "temporarily-abled" just biding our time until our powers withers away: the eyes dim, the hearing fades, the knees and joints corrode. The "disabled" are merely those who got there ahead of us. We believe firmly that technologies can level the playing field for people with various physical limitations. By providing them the technological solutions/options, we may just unleash potential that was previously trapped within these individuals. i-CREATe aims to catalyse and accelerate the development and adoption of ART, and to better provide technological solutions for people with disabilities and the elderly population in Southeast Asia.

Spokesperson for the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC), Professor Pairash Thajchayapong (former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, Thailand), commented:

HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is wellknown for advocating community and social development through extensive implementation of educational and technology-related programs. Through HRH’s gracious works and leadership, various agencies such as NECTEC has formed centers such as the Assistive Technology Center (ASTEC) that work on ART-related projects. In addition, we find the partnership with START Centre mutually beneficial and crucial in promoting technologies that will level the playing field between the able-bodied and people with disabilities.

In line with its aim of increasing technology adoption among the local disabled community, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) is sponsoring 25 sets of i-CREATe full passes (valued at S$472.50 each) for individuals with special needs to participate in the event at no cost.

Jennifer Lowe
Heroine with Cerebral Palsy a Strong Inspiration for People with Disabilities
If you are looking to profile charismatic people with disabilities then Jennifer Lowe would be a brilliant choice. She is eloquent and a role model for many others who are struggling with disabilities. Her incredible rate of spontaneous conversation through her communication device is nothing short of sensational. She can explain with over 20 years of experience what the ups and downs are of living while using an Alternative & Augmentative Communications (AAC) device.

Jennifer Lowe is the Executive Director of SHOUT (Support Helping Others Use Technology), a non-profit corporation in USA with a mission advocacy for employment of people who rely on augmentative communication.

Date & Time – Jennifer will be arriving from Pittsburgh USA to Singapore on Saturday, 21 April 2007. She will be leaving on 27 April. Interviews can be arranged when she is in town. Jennifer Lowe is the Executive Director of SHOUT (Support Helping Others Use Technology), a non-profit corporation in USA with a mission advocacy for employment of people who rely on augmentative communication.