A groundbreaking medtech facility backed by the Victorian Government is set to revolutionise the development of assistive technology by giving people living with disabilities a significant role in shaping their own solutions.
Minister for Skills and TAFE Gayle Tierney visited the LivingAT Facility at Medical Technology Victoria (MedTechVic), located at Swinburne University of Technology, to see firsthand how the space is facilitating collaboration among individuals with lived disability experience, their carers, allied health professionals, engineers, designers, and industry experts.
“The LivingAT Facility is a great example of what can be achieved when universities, government, and industry join the dots and bring lived experience, expertise, and industry into the one room,” said Minister Tierney.
The LivingAT Facility, supported by a $6.7 million investment from the Labor Government, is Australia’s first fully accessible research space dedicated to the development, prototyping, and manufacturing of assistive technology.
This technology includes equipment, tools, software, and devices designed to help the elderly and those with disabilities perform daily activities.
MedTechVic has already utilised the facility to create three innovative prototypes aimed at transforming daily tasks for individuals with mobility challenges.
During a series of workshops, the MedTechVic team collaborated closely with wheelchair users and people with disabilities to co-design products such as the Comfort Seat, GlideMate, and Sit & Stroll.
“This groundbreaking facility not only puts Victoria at the forefront of medtech innovation but also ensures that people with disabilities are directly involved in creating technology that enhances their lives,” said John Berger, member for Southern Metropolitan Region.
Since its inception, MedTechVic has forged 26 industry partnerships, developed six product prototypes ready for commercialisation, nine proof-of-concepts in development with industry, and initiated four R&D projects.
The Labor Government’s $350 million Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund (VHESIF) is instrumental in financing capital works, applied research, and research infrastructure projects at universities to bolster productivity and stimulate Victoria’s economy.
Swinburne University has also benefited from VHESIF, receiving $5.2 million for the upgrade of the Ngarrgu Tindebeek supercomputer.
This upgrade provides researchers with enhanced computing power to investigate diverse fields such as space exploration, brain function, and Earth sciences.
Professor Rachael McDonald, director at MedTechVic, highlighted the importance of the facility: “The co-design, development and use of the LivingAT Facility has been integral in MedTechVic’s mission to amplify the perspectives of people with lived experience of disability, especially in the design of assistive technologies.”
“MedTechVic is driving innovation in locally produced assistive technology, and our co-design process ensures that the needs and experiences of end-users are central throughout product and service development,” concluded Professor McDonald.
