The Impact of Intellectual Property on the Quality of Life for People with Disabilities
The 2022* Asian Para Games, which ended yesterday in Hangzhou, China, showcased human civilization’s sportsmanship, high fighting spirit, and demonstrated the impact of Intellectual Property (IP) on the quality of life of people with disabilities in many ways. For example, the Games featured a wide range of patented assistive technologies used by athletes with disabilities to compete at the highest level. These patented assistive technologies included:
- Running Prosthetics:
Losing a leg (or both) is not an obstacle for paralympic athletes to run; they no longer use prosthetic legs in the form of legs but unique legs in the form of carbon fiber plates, which are lighter and enable them to run like Olympic athletes. One of the Running Prosthetic manufacturers whose products are widely used is Ottobock, which currently has more than 1,800 patents.
- Racing Wheelchairs:
There are three sports where wheelchair use is permitted at the 2022 Asian Para Games: basketball, fencing, and tennis. Of course, they don’t compete with ordinary wheelchairs, but wheelchairs with innovative technology that makes them lighter but more robust, which allows them to act more quickly and safely.
- Swim Fins:
Swimming athletes who don’t have legs can use artificial fins made from silicon worn on their hands to swim faster and more efficiently.
- Blindfolds:
Because not all Paralympic athletes are entirely blind, for the competition to be fair, they are required to use unique cloth coverings, for example, when competing in athletics. These blindfolds are also made with an innovative design to be worn comfortably throughout the competition.
At the 2022 Asian Para Games, Indonesia achieved the highest achievement by reaching 6th place, under China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and India. The economic benefits obtained certainly do not only come to people with disabilities. The sporting event, which took place from October 22nd to 28th, 2023, generated billions of dollars in economic activity and created thousands of jobs from its implementation and innovative products protected by Intellectual Property.
Intellectual Property continues to play an essential role in improving the quality of life of people with disabilities in various ways, including:
- Encourage innovation in assistive technologies to help people with disabilities live more independent and fulfilling lives. For example, IP rights have been instrumental in developing technologies such as screen readers, speech-to-text software, and prosthetic limbs.
- Make assistive technologies more affordable and accessible to people with disabilities. For example, IP rights can establish licensing agreements allowing manufacturers to produce and sell assistive technologies at lower prices.
- Promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace and society. For example, IP rights can be used to protect the intellectual property of businesses that employ people with disabilities. This can help to create jobs for people with disabilities and reduce the stigma associated with disability.
Overall, the 2022 Asian Para Games were a powerful reminder of the positive impact that IP can have on the quality of life for people with disabilities. IP-protected assistive technologies can help people with disabilities live more independent and fulfilling lives, participate in the workplace and society, and achieve their full potential.
If you need more information about IP protection in Indonesia or abroad, please feel free to contact us via email at [email protected]
Source:
*) Dated 2022, as it originally marked the event scheduled for 2022, which was subsequently rescheduled to 2023 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
