Closure of the FAST information resource 

The Department of Health have decided to end the independent production of the annual report to Parliament on research and development work relating to assistive technology and to dramatically scale back the information provided to the sector. Find out more here about how you can support FAST to act as an information resource for the sector.

FAST database

You can still search our database of UK Assistive Technology research projects, here. However please be aware that as of July 2014 this database is no longer being updated due to the termination of funding by the Department of Health. 

FAST on Twitter (previously @FASTATUK)

Fast would like to thank all our supporters and colleagues who have followed us on twitter, but as the Department of Health are no longer funding us to provide an information resource to the sector then our twitter account will not be updated until this decision is reversed. 

FAST Monthly Newsletters are no longer being sent out

Because of the Department's decision to stop funding the information resource, then the FAST bulletins are no longer being produced. 

• AT Policy News which kept the sector up to date on policy and legislation in the UK.
• AT R&D News which focused on funding, new projects, resources, jobs and events in AT.

Find out more here about how you can support FAST to continue to provide information to the sector.

Annual Report to Parliament 2013-14

Commissioned by the Department of Health and presented to Parliament each July, FAST has reported on AT research and development activity across the UK for the past 15 years. Providing a comprehensive report on all AT research being funded by the UK government, this has been a valuable resource for the sector. Download what may be the final report in the series, from the Department of Health website, here [external link] or the FAST website, here. 

Economic and Business Models for Assisted Living

The Technology Strategy Board's Assisted Living Innovation Platform (TSB ALIP) funded a number of projects to look at economic and business models (EBM) for assisted living.

• Links to: CoModal, SALT, MALT, DAP and MOST EBM projects 
• The DAP paper on consumer market models can be downloaded here.
• A mid-term review was commissioned from FAST. Download the summary [link to pdf] or the full review [link to pdf]. 
• A further discussion paper authored by FAST on breaking the assisted living market is here.

Where do you come from ...?

Chart the global interest in UK assistive technology research and development activity.