Personalised technology

"I see it as really helpful for giving somebody back their own independence, and that nice little bit of skill. Why should somebody have to wait for a member of staff, or a family member, or somebody to open a door for them? They shouldn’t have to - it’s their house."

Di Benden, Head of Operations for South and Southwest, is enthusiastic about a recent collaboration with TouchByte to introduce their Facentry system into a housing project in Cornwall. A key member of the Advance Personalised Technology Group, Di can see clear benefits for other customers, "Currently, we’re using Facentry with people who are able-bodied. They’re able to open a door on their own. But I foresee it being extremely useful for people who have physical disabilities. So, somebody who uses a wheelchair or somebody with autism, or has quite severe autism that wouldn’t have the ability or the understanding to touch a keypad or get a key out and that dexterity to put the proper key into a door."

Describing the impact of the new technology on customers and colleagues Di said: "The people we support absolutely love it. Our staff are amazing. They’re keen to try anything. They want the best for the people they work with."

As part of the collaboration Di discussed TouchByte's Faceentry system in the video above. You can also read an interview with Di about the system here.