Assistive Technologies research

The DOCTRID Research Institute (DOCTRID RI) is a collaborative international institute committed to research excellence into Intellectual Disabilities (ID), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. It was established as a research programme under the RESPECT and Daughters of Charity Disability Support Services (DoC) Boards in October 2010. This unique partnership is made up of all of the universities on the island of Ireland, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Dundalk and Tralee Institutes of Technology, Oxford University, the UK charity Designability and the US universities Michigan State University and the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

 

Read more about the DOCTRID partners here

The DOCTRID RI funds and oversees research in the field of ID and ASD, bringing experts from many fields such as medicine, social science, education and communication together to ensure that all research carried out has maximum impact and practical benefit for those with ID and autism.

 

Research projects underway within the DOCTRID RI include:

Increasing communication through iPad apps tailored to the needs of people with ID or ASD

Developing smart homes to allow people to live independently

Video modelling and virtual reality to teach social skills and life skills

Identifying the level of social participation of adults with ASD

Developing interventions to improve community engagement and quality of life for individuals with ID/ASD.