Independent consultancy Automated Spaces recently joined leaders at the UK Parliament to take part in an event focused on disability inclusion and accessible technology.
The Parliamentary Breakfast Reception was hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Assistive and Accessible Technology (APPGAT) on Nov 5, in partnership with Steve Darling MP and the Royal Society, a scientific academy.
At the event, Automated Spaces demonstrated its independent living technology to MPs and accessibility specialists, showcasing its Control4-based monitoring system, custom activity dashboard and proactive support features.
Alan Matthews, founder of Automated Spaces, said: “It was a great event to mark the parliamentary launch of the Royal Society’s Disability Technology Report.
“Amongst the report’s recommendations is the recognition that ‘to improve the utility and lifespan of digital assistive technology, it is important that those solutions be interoperable with other technologies’.
“This is exactly what the smart home industry can offer; a smart home hub that can integrate with many other subsystems in a home.”
An event highlight was the company’s concept of ‘Nudges’; automated prompts triggered by the activity monitoring dashboard to encourage independent actions before carer involvement.
The UK Minister of State for Social Security and Disability addressing the Reception, credit: Automated Spaces
For example, if a person with dementia has not visited the kitchen by a certain time, an audio reminder can gently prompt them to consider breakfast, supporting their dignity while providing reassurance through timed escalation.
The company also presented its custom Control4 activity monitoring driver and the Aqara mmWave Fall Detection and Presence Sensor, illustrating how these tools can be integrated into smart home environments to enhance safety and autonomy.
The UK Minister for Social Security and Disability, the Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP, attended to explore how science and innovation can expand access to assistive and accessible technology (ATech) for the UK’s 16m disabled people, and how inclusion can be better embedded into product design and delivery.
Additionally, guests had hands-on access to new ATech solutions from Smartbox Assistive Technology, Sony PlayStation, SensePilot, CareScribe and Waymap.
Main image credit to Royal Society: Alan Matthews demonstrating independent living smart spaces solutions to the UK Minister of State for Social Security