On July 27th, at a press conference titled "Starting the '15th Five-Year Plan' on a Strong Footing" held by the State Council Information Office, Zhou Changkui, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Chairman of the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF), responded to a reporter's inquiry. He noted that a mature technological aid for the disabled in recent years is the cochlear implant, which has enabled many hearing-impaired children to hear.
He stated that currently, whether it is invasive or non-invasive brain-computer interfaces, their primary application scenario is in medical treatment and rehabilitation. The hope is for more technological breakthroughs that can truly enable the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and those who cannot stand to stand. The current wave of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is empowering various industries, bringing hope for people with disabilities to overcome physical barriers and better integrate into society.
In recent years, the CDPF, along with nine other ministries including the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, jointly issued the "Guiding Opinions on Promoting Technology-Assisted Disabled Persons," vigorously advancing this work. Specifically, the first step is to adhere to a demand-oriented approach by understanding and sorting out the technological needs of different categories of people with disabilities. This involves gathering technological innovation resources to prevent a disconnect between research and development and the actual needs of the disabled. Compared to able-bodied individuals, the disabled have both common and unique technological needs, with significant variation across different categories of disabilities. The CDPF will focus on the actual needs of the disabled in areas such as medical care, rehabilitation, employment, and accessibility, ensuring that R&D resources are precisely allocated. Throughout this process, full participation of the disabled is required to enhance the practicality and adaptability of products.
Secondly, the CDPF will further promote the application of these technologies in specific scenarios. For example, at this year's Zhongguancun Forum's parallel session on technology-assisted disabled persons, the CDPF released its first batch of application scenarios. These include a barrier-free ride-hailing service for the disabled, smart rehabilitation equipment integrating non-invasive brain-computer interfaces, and smart guide devices such as guide robots, smart canes, and smart glasses. These technologies are designed to genuinely benefit the disabled.
Finally, the CDPF will increase efforts in publicity, promotion, and application so that more people with disabilities are aware of the development of these technological aids. This includes establishing systems to include such products within relevant subsidy scopes, lowering the threshold for use by the disabled, and ultimately driving widespread application. Through these measures, the latest scientific and technological advancements can better serve people with disabilities.