A project of the Austrian Computer Society, OCG
an user-friendly internet information system
network for elderly persons
and
people with disabilities

by Willibald Kremser, member of the board, OCG

The Austrian Computer Society (OCG)

1. Aims and tasks of the OCG

The OCG was founded in 1975. It is the umbrella group of Austrian associations, organizations and institutions, that deal with information technology.

OCGs aim is the extensive and interdisciplinary promotion of information technology and its use in business, science and administration. The effects on humans and society find special consideration.

To support this aim the OCG sets a lot of activities - not only in Austria - and represents Austria in international committees - such as the IFIP (International Federation for Information Processing) or the CEPIS (Council of European Professional Informatics Societies). More about OCG
 

2. The OCG and the topic "computer for handicapped people "

Over 18 years the OCG emphasis on the topic "computer for handicapped people" and chooses it as its main matter of concern. 1989 the international conference ICCHP - International Conference Helping People with Special Needs – was organized by the OCG for the first time in Europe. Since 1990 this conference is organized every two years and is very successful. In 2010 the 12th ICCHP will take place in Austria, Vienna. Scientists of all five continents will take part and present their researches to the international public. For more detail see http://www.icchp.org and http://www.ocg.at/activities/books/volumes/sr87.html

Additional to the international conference in the second part of the nineties the so called "ÖSTERREICH_TAG" has been created for affected and interested people in Austria . This is an informative conference which will now be organized every year in another federal capital of Austria.

In addition to these activities the association "Informationstechnologie für Menschen mit Behinderungen" (information technology for handicapped people) has been further extended. Today this association with its numerous experts has an extensive Know-how in the following areas:

The experts of the OCG come from an academic sphere (university institutes of Austria) but also from the business world. They don´t work only theoretical on different topics but have reached a high level of knowledge in permanent cooperation with elderly and handicapped people. A lot of scientific and popular publications have been published concerning the topic 'information technology for elderly and handicapped people' .

The structure of the OCG-members is additionally useful for dealing with the topic 'computer-aid for elderly and handicapped people': There are not only very close contacts to the domestic computer-business and their different communities of interests but also to numerous domestic and foreign institutions and organizations. Particularly to relevant developers and producers of friendly aids and adaptations for handicapped persons.
 

3. The OCG-participation in the IST-program

The IST-program of the 5th EU-framework picks up explicitely topics which should bring modern information technology nearer to elderly and handicapped people in the EU. Moreover the EU promotes especially all those activities that include various topics which are defined in the IST in the frame of the cross programs.

Because of its interdisciplinary potential and its available resources the OCG is convinced that it can make a valuable contribution to the efforts of integrating elderly and handicapped people and dismantling barriers particularly in this thematic field; Additionally supported by OCG-members which are affected themselves.

The network NetofNeeds (NoN) - a project of a member of the board of OCG - Willibald Kremser

4. The network for elderly persons and people with special needs "NetofNeeds":

Within the framework of an IST-project a thematic network should be created with different national and international partners. This network should be able to keep itself after the completion of the project stage and its continued existence and further construction should be guaranteed by continuous updates.

The following draft proposal depends on the sponsored work-program by the EU according to the EU-5th and framework of research and technological development, IST-work-program 1999 - DG XIII. In consideration of the key action I: systems and services for people with special needs, action line I.3.1: information system as support for independent life in the EU. In future will be one key action of the work-program by the EU according to the EU-6th and framework of research and technological development, IST-work-program.

The network of information for the needs of elderly and handicapped people should comprise the following topics and should also give up-to-date answers to specific questions concerning the above topic by using a simple search engine-technology:
 

  • research institutions
  • orthopaedic-technical service institutions
  • biomedical and medical-technical institutes
  • places of training
  • specific medical institutions
  • possibilities for the care of the elderly persons
  • mobile services for the advancement of a self-determinated life
  • information associations, organizations etc. which are engaged in such problems
    •
  • regularly informative meetings:
    •
  • user-friendly (accessible for all) query-system for the public and private area
  • training possibilities and supplies corresponding to the kind of handicap:
    •
  • the authorities, official ways, formalism and reliefs via internet
  • possibilities of social integration, living, building and supplying
  • urban-structural institutions designed also for handicapped people
  • leisure time and culture:
    •

    Note: list in quality, not complete; to complete the content is part of the project.


    Summary:

    NetofNeeds was an action of the OCG in the framework of the IST work-program 1999, in cooperation with national and international research institutions, companies and public and private institutions.

    By using the experience made in the OCG and the relevant information of national and international events and the resulting connections to relevant institutions worldwide.

    If the accumulated facts (collected in the OCG over 20 years the ICCHP and over 13 years the ÖSTERREICH-TAG) should be invested in an information technology then there has to be employed not only the newest key technology, but also to be developed a new platform which guarantees a "Return of Investment" in future.

    © Willibald KREMSER November 10th 2009


    Mailto: kre@ocg.at
    Impressum:
    Offenlegung nach dem Mediengesetz 2005:
    Inhalt und Gestaltung:
    Dipl.-Ing. Willibald Kremser
    Wolkersdorf, NÖ.

    The Proposal NetofNeeds the user-friendly internet information system network for elderly persons and people with special needs project draft for the EU 5th framework IST workprogram 1999 DG XIII: More