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User involvement in the development of new technology
This is an exciting project on user participation for people with combined visual and hearing impairments in the development of new technology. The project started in 2023 and will end in autumn 2025.
Who are project collaborators?
From 2023 to the autumn of 2025, a project group worked together on an exciting project on user participation from people with deafblindness in the development of new technology.
The project group consisted of:
- Three users of Eikholt: Marie Dyrkorn Egge, Erik Nilsen, Bedir Yiyit
- Three employees from Eikholt: Fereshteh Halimi, Emilio Jensen Granados and Kari Jokstad
Professor Hilde Thygesen from University of South East Norway followed the project as a participating observer.
The picture shows the project's accompanying researcher, Professor Hilde Thygesen from University of South East Norwaywho sits with a microphone in front of him, diligently taking notes on paper.
User involvement in all phases of the project
The project evolved from testing the assistive technology SuperBrain from the company 7Sense in Estonia, to become an example of collaborative research. In other words, everyone has been an equal contributor to the project.
Through regular meetings at Eikholt, the group has:
- Tested and evaluated the assistive technology
- Systematised and analysed data
- Discussed technology development and user involvement
- Shared knowledge and experiences in a safe and creative community with the goal of joint competence development
From left to right: Bedir Yiyit, Erik Nilsen and Marie Dyrkorn Egge with their dog Nera.
We constantly uncovered new insights and knowledge. About collaboration between developers and users of assistive technology, and about interaction and co-creation in a project group. It has been satisfying for everyone to experience that we have developed new knowledge together. The sessions have been characterised by engagement, interest and curiosity. And humour.
Group course on user involvement in project work
In parallel with the project itself, the group developed a group course in project work. The course was held in August 2025, with the entire project team as trainers.
The aim of the course was for participants to learn about project work and how they could use their unique experience-based knowledge in projects. Some of the participants are already working as experience consultants in projects.
The way forward - dissemination and publishing
The project is now in the dissemination phase. The journal Nordisk velferdsforskning / Nordic Welfare Research is planning a special themed issue on deafblindness in 2026. The project group has written a research article that has been accepted for pre-publication there. The article will also be available on Eikholt's website along with a popular science version in Norwegian.
We have also been invited to present the project at the Nordic Conference on Deafblindness in Copenhagen in September 2026.
Images from Posjektet
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