New film showcases pioneering disability futures research project
A new film showcases the pioneering work of a unique and interdisciplinary University of Leeds research project exploring technology and disability futures
A new film showcases the pioneering work of a unique and interdisciplinary University of Leeds research project exploring the relationship between cultural and artistic imaginings of disability technologies – such as prosthetics and other assistive technologies – and their design, production and use in engineering and healthcare settings.
Produced in Spring 2024 in collaboration with Adarak and the British Medical Journal: Medical Humanities journal, the Imagining Technology for Disability Futures film showcases the research project’s wide range of activities and features conversations with people from across the globe, including researchers, sensory awareness trainers, designers, and users of assistive technologies.
The film, which can be viewed on YouTube (an Audio Described version is also available), discusses disability, technology, design, ethics, publishing, agency, and advocacy, reflecting on what has been learned but also looking forward, asking what successful disability futures might look like and how researchers and partners can contribute to these.
It is based on Imagining Technology for Disability Futures, a five-year interdisciplinary research project investigating the relationship between technologised embodiment and the future of disability, bringing together experts from diverse fields such as English, Engineering, Design, and Philosophy.
The project, which has been led by Professor Stuart Murray in the School of English and funded by the Wellcome Trust, places disabled partners at the heart of the research process, emphasising their role as co-designers and mentors – an inclusive approach that challenges traditional views of disability as a condition to be “cured” and focuses instead on enhancing future technologies to improve disabled experiences.
Professor Stuart Murray said:
"As we approach the end of our five-year journey, it is clear that the research is making a real difference, not only in academic circles but also within broader communities. Our film captures this impact and showcases how we’ve explored the intersections of disability, technology, and culture. I would like to thank everyone who participated in the film and all those who have supported the project over the years."
Imagining Technology for Disability Futures is the University of Leeds' first Wellcome Trust Collaborative Award and has involved partnerships with institutions such as the University of Dundee, University of Sheffield, and University of Exeter. The project’s work continues to shape the ways in which disability is understood and integrated into the design of assistive technologies.
In December 2024 the BMJ: Medical Humanities Journal will publish a special issue, edited by Professor Murray, exploring many of the project’s themes.
