Skip to content

Intelligent Personal Assistants

Our Intelligent Personal Assistant project uses voice assistants, sensors, and mainstream technology to enhance, promote, and increase independence for people with learning disabilities and additional support needs.

We are enabling individuals with learning disabilities to control their homes and lives through Internet of Things connected devices.

Personal with a learning disability using an Intelligent Personal Assistant in their supported living home

About our Intelligent Personal Assistants

The Nesta and Y Lab’s Innovate to Save Scheme provided Innovate Trust with the resources to research and develop its idea of integrating smart speakers.

Technology such as the Amazon Echo and Google Assistant into supported living services to enhance support and enable more significant levels of independence for adults with a disability.

Project research

We wanted to see if everyday smart speakers and other home devices could be helpful for people in supported living services.

We expected it would work well as long as the approach focused on individual needs and offered proper support.

The research explored how these readily available gadgets, like smart speakers and light controls, could give people more control over their surroundings.

This included things like:

  • Safety and security: making sure people feel safe at home.
  • Communication: connecting with others easily.
  • Learning: exploring new things and staying engaged.
  • Entertainment: having fun and relaxing.

Overall, we were interested in the potential of smart technology to improve people’s lives.

By using regular smart speakers and home devices, instead of special equipment, people we support felt more included.

They were excited to use these gadgets, averaging 150 interactions a day!

The technology became a valuable support tool. It boosted confidence and helped individuals work towards their goals, like spending more time independently at home.

We believe with some extra support and resources, the social care sector can embrace this technology more widely in the next few years.

This will make the most of available resources and empower people with learning disabilities to achieve their full potential for independence.

We are constantly exploring new ways to use everyday technology to support people with learning disabilities.

In addition to smart speakers, we are investigating other possibilities like:

  • Motion-controlled devices
  • Touchscreen tablets
  • Brainwave-reading headsets (for potential communication and control advancements)
  • Eye-tracking technology (for hands-free interaction)


We are also excited to be collaborating with research partners Cardiff University’s Human Factors of Excellence (HuFEx) research unit.

This project has attracted interest from partners within the social care sector, as well as individuals and organisations from other fields.

This project has led to us supporting several smart home projects across Wales. (link to Smart homes page)

Mainstream intelligent personal assistants (IPA’s) such as Amazon Echo and Google Home have the potential to be a valuable tool for healthcare and social care.

They offer an outstanding opportunity to enhance agency and wellbeing in vulnerable groups and people.

But there are also some things to consider, as unintended consequences and barriers are possible.

Project partners

Cardiff University
Rhondda Cynon Taf council