Kuwait: ATSN, Assistive Technologies For Special Needs

Building on our work in the region, we contributed to the Kuwait’s ATSN. The International Conference and Forum on Assistive Technologies for Special Needs (ATSN) was held in Kuwait on 8-9 December 2024, timed around the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Organized by the Kuwait College of Science and Technology (KCST) in cooperation with the United Nations Office in Kuwait, UNESCO, and Kuwait's Ministry of Social Affairs, with sponsorship from the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), the event brought together experts, innovators, and advocates to showcase technology aimed at empowering people with disabilities.

Related

• UN Global Digital Compact (GDC): AI Governance and Digital Infrastructure

• UNESCO: Science Report 8th Edition (2026)

Assistive Technologies For Special Needs (ATSN)

ATSN is an international conference and forum dedicated to assistive technology and digital accessibility, first held in Kuwait on 8–9 December 2024 to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. It has since developed into a recurring event in the Gulf, with its second edition held 7–10 December 2025, co-located with the 10th International Conference on ICT and Accessibility (ICTA'25) at KCST's campus, under the patronage of Kuwait's Minister of Social Affairs and with continued UN and UNESCO support, alongside partners including the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) and the IEEE Kuwait Section. Across editions, the conference has centered on AI-driven assistive technologies, robotics for mobility and therapy, digital accessibility and inclusive education, and the ethical and cybersecurity considerations that come with deploying these systems for vulnerable populations.

The inaugural 2024 edition served as the platform's founding gathering, convening local policymakers, academics, and technology experts around the transformative role of AI-powered prosthetics, autonomous mobility solutions, and robotic assistance in advancing disability inclusion. The event framed its work against the scale of over one billion people globally living with disabilities, positioning Kuwait as a regional convening point for translating assistive technology research into practical, community-level inclusion outcomes, and setting the template that the subsequent ICTA-ATSN co-location would expand into a broader academic and policy forum spanning research tracks from e-accessibility to advanced interfaces.

References

¹ Kuwait College of Science and Technology (KCST), United Nations Kuwait, UNESCO. "International Conference and Forum on Assistive Technologies for Special Needs (ATSN'24)." Kuwait. December 8–9, 2024.

² Kuwait College of Science and Technology (KCST). "2nd International Conference and Forum on Assistive Technologies for Special Needs (ATSN'25), Co-Located with the 10th International Conference on ICT and Accessibility (ICTA'25)." Kuwait. December 7–10, 2025.