Fraunhofer Center for Assistive Information and Communication Solutions – AICOSOver 350 end users, more than 30 partner institutions and over 1000 activities carried out. These are the latest figures from COLABORAR, a network of users with whom usability and accessibility tests of technological solutions are developed. The goal of the COLABORAR project is to humanize technology, making it easy to use.
Although COLABORAR is a Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS project, created in 2011, it is open to the exterior, which means that any business or organization can make use of this network as a way of gathering suggestions and expectations of the target audience to new products and services. In just over two years, the volunteers of this group have participated in more than 1000 activities, such as in-depth interviews, usability tests, observation sessions of daily life, group discussion sessions, surveys and evaluation of user experience.
This network brings together researchers and end users. It is this direct contact with those who may in the future use such products or services that allows us to understand not only people’s difficulties and unmet needs, but also their wishes and expectations, contributing to the design of practical, easy to use and really helpful solutions.
COLABORAR users now have the opportunity to engage in projects of national and international research; share their experiences and knowledge with others; make friends with other users in the network; have information on new technologies; test new solutions and help to design future technologies.
The COLABORAR network consists of over 350 users, volunteers, most of which with more than 50 years of age and willing to contribute to the development of science. This network also involves formal caregivers, such as doctors and therapists, and informal caregivers (usually family members). Users who integrate this network share a desire to cooperate for the creation of future technologies that promote safety, independence, health, well-being and quality of life. COLABORAR intends to continue growing.
Stakeholders, individually or through an institution, can register as volunteers here and become part of this network of end users.
The mission of Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS, the research center responsible for the COLABORAR project, is to generate "Remarkable Technology, Ease of Use" and the creation of this network allows precisely to meet this goal by helping to improve quality of life, offering citizens intuitive and useful technological solutions. Next stop: 2000 activities!