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EASTIN

• The European
• Assistive Technology
• Information Network

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The eTEN programme

• The EASTIN network is a result of the EASTIN
  project - a market validation project co-funded
  by the European Commission through the eTen
  programme

Deploying Trans-European e-Services for all
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Index to this presentation

• Background
• The six Eastin partners and their databases
• How does EASTIN work
• Technical design of the network
• Market validation of the network
• A brief Project history

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• ?
• Background

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Brief history

• Since the 1980s
• information systems have been created in many
  countries, in response to a national need for
  information on Assistive Technology

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Brief history

• The importance of AT information has been
  recognised at EU level many times
• Attempt to create a common EU database (the
  Handynet initiative 1986-1997)
• DG EMPL Study Access to AT in the EU (2003)

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Brief history

• 2003 the International Alliance of AT
  information providers is established
• Today, it has 9 partners from IT, DE, ES, UK,
  DK, NL, FR, BE, US

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WWW.ATI-ALLIANCE.NET
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Brief history

• 2005 the dream has come true
• EASTIN a trans-European Network based on 6
  national information systems (IT, DE, UK, DK,
  ES, NL)

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• ?
• The six Eastin partners
• and their databases

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The six EASTIN partners
Portale SIVA (IT) Project
Leader www.portale.siva.it Hjaelpemiddelbasen
(DK) www.hmi-basen.dk Rehadat (DE) www.rehadat.de
DLF Data (UK) www.dlf.org.uk Catálogo de
Ayudas Técnicas (ES) www.catalogo-ceapat.org Hulp
middelen Wijzer (NL) www.hulpmiddelenwijzer.nl
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Partner SIVA (IT) Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi
ONLUS

The largest private non-profit Organisation in
the field of services to people with disabilities
in Italy. It currently runs 29 care and
rehabilitation centres and has over 4500
employees WWW.PORTALE.SIVA.ITOn behalf of the
Italian Ministry of Welfare it runs Portale SIVA,
the Italian Internet Portal on Assistive
Technologies
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www.portale.siva.it
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Partner REHADAT (DE) Institut der deutschen
Wirtschaft Köln

A private, non-profit organization whose
membership consists of industrial and employers
associations. It has around 170 employees. It
carries out research in educational, social,
economic and media policy. WWW.REHADAT.DEOn
behalf of the Federal Ministry of Labour and
Social Affairs it runs Rehadat, the German
Internet Portal on Assistive Technologies and the
vocational integration of people with disabilities
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Partner HMI-BASEN (DK) Danish Centre for
Technical Aids for Rehabilitation and Education

A non-profit organisation established by the
Danish Counties and by two Municipalities
(Copenaghen and Friederiksberg). Its staff (about
35 people) carry out information and research
activities in the field of rehabilitation,
assistive technology and special education.
WWW.HMI-BASEN.DKIt runs Hjælpemiddelbasen,
the Danish Portal on Assistive Technology
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Partner DLF-DATA (GB) Disabled Living
Foundation

A charity specialising in the provision of
equipment advice and information on disability
products. With a team of about 30 people it has a
demonstration centre and conducts information /
educational activities WWW.DLF.ORG.UKIt
maintains DLF-DATA, a large national database of
disability equipment
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Partner CEAPAT (ES) Centro Estatal de
Autonomia Personaly Ayudas Técnicas

A technical centre established within IMSERSO (a
public Agency of the Ministry of Labour and
Social Affairs), working in the field of
assistive technology, design for all and
accessibility. WWW.CATALOGO-CEAPAT.ORGOn
behalf of the Ministry it runs the Catálogo de
Ayudas Técnicas, the Spanish Internet Portal on
Assistive Technologies
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Partner IRV (NL) IRV

A centre for interdisciplinary rehabilitation
studies run by a private non-profit Foundation
(Stichting Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
Revalidatie). It has a staff of around 75
people. WWW.HULPMIDDELENWIJZER.NLIt runs
Hulpmiddelenwijzer, the Dutch Internet Portal on
Assistive Technologies
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• ?
• How does EASTIN work

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The three key components

• The EASTIN website WWW.EASTIN.INFO
• The six national systems, upgraded and
  harmonised
• The international EASTIN Association

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www.eastin.info
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Multilingual Search engine across all 6 databases
Facility to allow manufacturers to submit new
products
Project information
Direct access to the 6 national databases
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• By ISO Classification
• By keyword
• By commercial name
• By manufacturers name
• By date (since)

• By ISO Classification
• By keyword
• By type of document (FAQ, Fact Sheet, Case
  Study, Idea, Link)

• By Company name

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Example A (4) summary result
List of products found, sorted from the most
recently updated
Search criteria used
Count of products found in each national database
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Same result, displayed in Italian language
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Example A (4) summary result
Same result, displayed in German language etc.
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By clicking on a product, the extended record is
displayed in the chosen language. In this case
it is German
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A free-text description is also displayed in the
same language, if this is the original language
of the document
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In case the chosen language is English so all
information will be displayed in English
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also the free-text description, thanks to
automatic translation systems
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The same record of this German product displayed
in another language (Italian)
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In this case the chosen language is neither
English nor the original language of the
document. In this case the free text will be
displayed in the EASTIN lingua franca (English)
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Articles offering advice and describing issues to
be aware of in relation to certain AT products
Answers to Frequently Asked questions
Case studies showing how individuals have
exploited AT to maintain their independence
External internet resources
Examples of assistive solutions to daily life
problems
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Example of searching fact sheets
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Same in another language (Italian)
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Examples of fact sheets
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New Product Alert

• For use by manufacturers to provide details of
  their AT products that they wish to see included
  in one or more of the EASTIN partners databases

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the manufacturer

• Provides the basic product information
• ISO Classification code, brand, model,
  description, website, contact data
• Indicates the where the product is to be sold

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the EASTIN partner

• Upon receiving the alert, those responsible for
  the national database in the selected Countries
  look at the product applying their local updating
  data quality control procedures

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• ?
• Technical design of the network

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At the start of the projectsix individual
systems
01/03 2004
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At the end of the project a trans-european
network
30/11 2005
EASTIN website
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A three-step process

• Step 1 Analysis of current situation
  definition of integration requirements
• Step 2 Enhancement, localisation and network
  integration of the information systems
• Step 3 Validating the network and preparing for
  deployment

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The keystones of the project

• Harmonization(of the 6 national systems)
• Integration(through the Eastin website
  facilities)
• Multilingualism(through software translation)
• Usability and Accessibility

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Harmonization

• means that all systems belonging to the network
  should exchange information that
• Covers the same domain of knowledge
• Allows for unambiguous recognition of items
• Allows for unambiguous interpretation of data

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Examples of harmonization actions

• All partners matched their AT classifications to
  match the agreed standard of ISO 99992002
• All partners revised their keyword systems to
  include mappings to ISO 9999 third level
• All partners adapted their record sets to follow
  the same rules for content
• Etc

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Integration

• means that the whole network
• Has a single entry point
• Allows searching across databases
• Is managed through a co-ordinated data collection
  process

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Technical integration
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The web services approach
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Advantages of web services

• independent of the platform and the programming
  language used by each partner
• flexibility to adapt to changes in the partners
  system
• easy integration of new partners

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Multilingual interpretation

• Coded information
• through multilingual tables embodied in the
  Eastin website, or provided by the partners
  webservices
• Free text
• Automatic translation from native language to
  English, through translation software
  specifically customised to this domain of
  knowledge

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Multilingual interpretation
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Accessibility and usability

• Technical tests (W3C priority 1)various
  automatic validators, various browsers
• Field tests with sample users views collected
  through on line questionnaire
• Interviews of expert users

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• ?
• Market Validation

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The three validation stages

• 1st stage (core groups)validated the analysis
  of national systems
• 2nd stage (core groups) validated the
  requirements of the trans-national network
• 3rd stage (core groups, extended groups,
  Consortium) validated the prototype of the
  trans-national network

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External validators
Equally distributed over the 6 countries
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Validation 1st stage

• Research question
• What are the weaknesses and the strengths of the
  six national systems?
• Method
• train the core groups to use the systems
• engage in structured field trials
• administer on-line Delphi questionnaire

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Validation 1st stage

• Outcome
• This stage helped identify and describe the
  strengths and the weaknesses of each national
  system, against five indicators, labelled as the
  five As Accessibility, Availability, Awareness,
  Appropriateness and Affordability

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Validation 2nd stage

• Research questions
• To what extent should the six systems be
  harmonised and integrated into a trans-European
  network ?
• What is the added value of the trans-European
  network vs the national systems?
• Method
• Mock-up of how the network might look like
• On-line Delphi questionnaire

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Validation 2nd stage

• Outcome
• This stage helped finalise the requirements and
  the specification for the harmonisation of the
  systems and their integration within the Eastin
  network.

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Validation 3rd stage

• Research question technical sustainability
• Does the EASTIN network work and perform
  adequately?
• Method
• Performance tests (through simulated work load)
• Accessibility tests (automatic validators,
  interviews)
• Usability tests (structured field trial and
  on-line questionnaires)

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Validation 3rd stage

• Research questions sustainability of use
• How will the network be used by its potential
  market?
• Will the network meet the potential markets
  expectations?
• Method
• Free usage of the network (over a 3 months
  period)
• Log files, monitoring the users navigation
  behaviour
• On-line questionnaires, at the end of the
  validation period
• Structured interviews to a selected sample

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Validation 3rd stage

• Research question search engine sustainability
• How will the network be maintained and updated?
• Method
• Definition through consensus of to maintenance
  requirements
• Identification of an adequate service provider
  for the Eastin website

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Validation 3rd stage

• Research questions financial sustainability
• Will the EASTIN network be financially
  sustainable?
• Will the national systems be financially
  sustainable?
• Method
• Definition through consensus of the economical
  model of the network
• Development of a 5-year business plan for each
  national system
• Development of a risk mitigation plan

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Validation 3rd stage

• Research questions organisational
  sustainability
• Will the EASTIN network be organisationally
  sustainable?
• Method
• Comparative analysis of suitable organisational
  models
• Definition of related legal instruments through
  legal consultancy in more Countries

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Validation 3rd stage

• Outcome
• this stage helped finalise the technical
  implementation of the network carry out all
  fine-tuning needed to best meet the market
  expectations set-up a sustainable financial
  plan decide on the most appropriate organisation
  for deploying the network.

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Deployment model (I)

• Each partner
• Keeps its system updated using national
  resources
• Takes care of marketing at the national level
• Participates in the EASTIN Association and
  contributes an annual fee

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Deployment model (II)

• The EASTIN Association
• Maintains the Eastin website through a contract
  with a service provider
• Takes care of marketing at international level
• Enables the partners to proceed with the
  collaboration started within the Eastin project

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• ?
• Brief project history

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EASTIN Workpackages

• WP1 Project Management (SIVA)
• WP2 Analysis and comparison of existing systems
  (DLF)
• WP3 Harmonisation/integration specification
  (SIVA)
• WP4 Adaptation and integration of the systems
  (REHADAT)
• WP5 Validation by end-users (CEAPAT)
• WP6 Validation by health care professionals
  (IRV)
• WP7 Validation by manufacturers/suppliers
  (SIVA)
• WP8 Exploitation, dissemination, deployment plan
  (HMI)

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EASTIN project milestones

• Start of the project 01 Mar 2004
• Analysis of national systems 15 Sep 2004
• Public National Workshops Sep / Dec 2004
• Harmonisation / integration requirements 03 Feb
  2005
• First Eastin Network prototype 30 Apr 2005
• Public International Workshops Sep / Dec 2005
• Eastin Network final release 28 Nov 2005
• End of the project 30 Nov 2005

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Eastin timing
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Eastin Consortium meetings

• Kick off Milano 04/05 Mar 2004
• 2nd Copenaghen 10/11 May 2004
• 3rd Köln 08/09 Nov 2004
• 4th Madrid 20/21 Jan 2005
• 5th London 28/29 Apr 2005
• 6th Hoensbroek 22/23 Sep 2005
• 7th Milano 25 Nov 2005

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National public Workshops

• London (GB) 15 September 2004
• Copenaghen (DK) 21 September 2004
• Köln (DE) 28 September 2004
• Milano (IT) 27 28 Sept 2004
• Hoensbroek (NL) 15 October 2004
• Madrid (ES) 13 December 2004

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Final public launch events

• International Workshops
• Lille (FR) at AAATE 8 September 2005
• Düsseldorf (DE) 14 October 2005
• London (GB) 24 October 2005
• Copenaghen (DK) 26 October 2005
• Milano (IT) 4 November 2005
• Virtual workshop (NL) 28/11 12/12 2005

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Acknowledgements

• To the EASTIN team
• SIVA R.Andrich, M.Bulgheroni, R.Giust, R.DaDalt,
  A.Agnoletto, L.Garavello, A.Caracciolo
• REHADAT P.Winkelmann, M.Selbach, A. Brockhagen,
  F.Tomaszewsky
• DLF N.Penn Symons, D.Clarke, R.Harvey, R.Turner,
  W.Self
• HMI N.Mathiassen, M.Holm, T.Lyhne, E.Hansen
• HWIJZER H.Knops, M.Verdonschot, R.De Vrije
• CEAPAT C.Porrero, R.Noya, C.Larraz, A.Sanchez,
  R.Zamorano

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acknowledgements

• To the external validators in all Countries
• To the European Commission / eTen programme
• To the National Authorities supporting the
  national databases

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www.eastin.info