People living with impairments have long relied on new technologies for increased independence and fuller interaction with their world. From the invention of the crutch in ancient Egypt through the simple prosthetics of the Middle Ages to our latter-day Braille tablets, we are now on the cusp of a future where autonomous wheelchairs, mind-controlled hearing aids and wearables monitoring health and emotion alleviate the impact of human limitations.

Innovators the world over have designed assistive technologies for people with specific needs. Many of these innovations will be adapted for use in a wider array of consumer products in the coming years. This means increased commercialization of assistive tech applications for a wider consumer base.

This evolution toward mass use of assistive tech is among the key findings in this report, the second publication in our flagship Technology Trends series. With this important inflection point upon us, it is critical to understand the state of play. What are the most-popular assistive technologies right now? What new technologies are under development? What are the commercialization rates of different assistive technologies? Who is leading the race to market – and where?

This report uses patent and other data to provide solid, factual evidence on innovation in the global assistive tech landscape, creating a knowledge base to inform and support business leaders, researchers and policy-makers in their decision-making. This is part of WIPO’s dedication to creating knowledge products that support a global economic environment where individuals and enterprises of all sizes can more easily bring exciting new products to market.

For the world of assistive tech, the market is set to expand. Currently, more than 1 billion people globally need at least one assistive product, a figure that is expected to double in the next 10 years as populations age. Even more people will benefit from assistive technology – such as wearables, customized solutions and connected and smart devices as these technologies spread to the wider population through new consumer goods.