ON THE TOPIC OF | DISABILITY INNOVATION
DDRISIVAIBNIGLI TY INNOVATION In September this year, the Global Disability Innovation
Hub (GDI) celebrated its fourth birthday with the
launch of #DisabilityInnovationDay – asking what is
possible for the future of Disability Innovation.
Based at University College
London (UCL), the Global
Disability Hub (GDI) is
a research and practice
centre driving disability innovation
for a fairer world. It was born out
of the legacy of the London 2012
Paralympic Games and launched
four years later at Rio 2016. GDI is
now working with partners in more
than 25 countries on long-standing
disability challenges by codesigning
solutions with communities
and sharing new knowledge and
ideas. GDI has already impacted
2.5m people, though projects like UK
aid funded AT2030, and intends to
reach over 15 million people by 2024
focusing on Assistive Tech, Universal
Design and Cultural Participation and
building evidence of ‘what works’ to
drive change.
As part of
#DisabilityInnovationDay, GDI Hub
aimed to provoke new thinking about
the potential of disability innovation,
asking the questions: ‘What if we built
a world that was accessible to all?’
or ‘what if there were more disabled
leaders?’ each hour. Partners will
respond and so can you! The digital
campaign ran across social media
and will cover stigma, sport, the arts
and innovation.
Vicki Austin co-founder and CEO
of GDI Hub CIC said: “The London
2012 Paralympics enabled a new way
of thinking and new approaches to
drive inclusion – this is what we now
call Disability Innovation. Though
there are no Paralympic Games this
year, we can still celebrate the values
of determination, equality, inspiration
and courage by pouring the spirit of
the Games into imagining bold new
approaches which can deliver social
justice in the years to come.”
Iain McKinnon, co-founder and
Director of Inclusive Design of GDI
Hub said: “We can hardly believe it’s
been four years since we launched
in London and Rio – what a journey!
In that time, we have seen the world
change immensely, but one thing is for
sure, there can be no better time to be
working on assistive tech and digital
innovation, and never has the need for
access and inclusion been greater.”
Professor Cathy Holloway,
co-founder and Academic
Director of GDI Hub said: “GDI
is very proud to be launching
#DisabilityInnovationDay today.
Now more than ever, we should
acknowledge that human diversity
must drive innovation - in education
and employment, in transport
and communication. Only by
growing diverse teams, sharing our
learning, and building the broadest
partnerships will we level the
playing eld and ensure no one is left
behind.”
Since its inception the GDI
Hub has expanded, now working
alongside UNICEF, WHO, the Asian
Development Bank, Amref, GSMA
and many others to create a new
vision for Disability Innovation
and its potential. GDI’s £19.8
million UK aid-funded AT2030
programme, to improve access to
life-changing assistive technology
has worked alongside partners to
design innovative wheelchairs and
orthotics in East Africa, supported
governments to mainstream access
to Assistive Technology, and
launched Innovate Now – Africa’s rst
Assistive Tech Accelerator.
In the four years since it launched
GDI has developed a pro le of more
than 40 projects with a value of over
£40m. From traditional research
projects like CrowdBot, which helps
wheelchair users navigate in crowds,
to AT innovations tested in real time,
GDI has supported governments
as well as communities and private
sector partners to lead change.
In fact, 2020, GDI will see the rst
year of graduates from its award-
14 WWW.EUREKAMAGAZINE.CO.UK | DECEMBER 2020
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