Innovation project as part of TRiNNOVATION OWL
The innovation project ‘SinnAssist next – Greater participation through digital support in the workplace’ has been launched as part of the TRiNNOVATION OWL initiative. It aims to further develop a digital assistance system to support people with special needs in performing work tasks in workshops for people with disabilities (WfbMs), particularly in assembly.
The project builds on the results of the ‘SinnAssist’ research project, which was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and initiated and carried out at TH OWL by Prof. Dr. Sven Hinrichsen and Prof. Dr. Sven Tackenberg. This resulted in an initial planning assistance system for use in contexts involving recurring, standardised and often monotonous activities. SinnAssist next builds on this system by adding new functions to make it more practical and customisable.
Focus on motivation, independence and interaction
SinnAssist next builds on the previous application and is being further developed. In addition to pure task support, new functions are to be integrated that strengthen individual motivation, facilitate orientation and provide positive feedback. This will tailor the system even more closely to the real needs of people who require support.
A particular focus is on the design of interactive elements that not only support the work process but also provide emotional support. Motivating feedback, clear user guidance and targeted incentives are intended to strengthen self-efficacy, learning progress and social participation in everyday working life.
From research to practice: collaboration with delta3
At inIT, the SinnAssist next project is being worked on by the Human-Technology Interaction research group headed by Prof. Dr. mult. Carsten Röcker. In close collaboration with the company delta3 GmbH, a so-called implementation tandem is being created. The research results of inIT are being further developed together with the practical knowledge of the company.
This cooperation enables the existing prototype to be improved in a targeted manner, for example in terms of usability, technical stability and additional functions. The goal is a system that can be reliably used in everyday workshop life.
Technological innovation with social responsibility
SinnAssist next makes a concrete contribution to the inclusive design of the working world. It exemplifies how digital technologies can not only reduce the workload, but also promote the professional development and independence of people with support needs.
The transfer relevance is high: the existing application case is to be expanded and transferred as a transferable model to other work contexts, such as inclusive companies or industrial manufacturing processes. This creates a practical example of how digital assistance systems can create social added value.
TRiNNOVATION OWL is a project that has been funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the federal-state initiative, 'Innovative University'.