What is EASTIN
EASTIN – the Global Assistive Technology Information Network
EASTIN is a network of national organizations, specialized in disseminating information in the field of assistive technology. EASTIN owns the EASTIN search engine, which offers free online access to information on thousands of assistive products from databases hosted by EASTIN members. The information includes product descriptions, pictures, technical product specifications, and commercial information about manufacturers. Products in the EASTIN search engine are classified according to the international standard “Assistive products – Classification and terminology” (ISO 9999). EASTIN members meet and exchange knowledge at network meetings, both online and in person. External experts, including national organizations considering applying for EASTIN membership, are traditionally invited as guests. EASTIN is led by a board, according to the Articles of the Association (see section "Downloads"). EASTIN has established alliances with leading global communities in the field of assistive technology, e.g. the WHO GATE community (Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology) and GAATO (The Global Alliance of Assistive Technology Organizations). The vision of EASTIN: EASTIN collects and disseminates information on assistive technologies using a universal vocabulary operational for contextual use in the field of assistive technology in all cultural settings. The sustainability of EASTIN is obtained by focusing on co-ordination and harmonization of well-established existing national initiatives collecting and disseminating information in the field of assistive technology. EASTIN facilitates collaboration and exchange of know-how among its national members and is welcoming alliances with regional and global communities supporting the EASTIN vision. Membership of the EASTIN association is open for not-for-profit organizations worldwide that are committed to provide comprehensive, reliable, and up-to-date information on assistive technology. Partners are the core members of the association: they run a well-established and publicly recognized national assistive technology information system in their own country and make their data available to the EASTIN search engine through a web interface. Affiliates collaborate to enrich the information contents and qualifies the linguistic translations at the EASTIN website. Organizations supporting the EASTIN network can be registered as national contacts. The members of EASTIN and the national contacts are listed at the page EASTIN members.Vision
Strategic objectives
Membership
WHAT ARE ISO CODES
The most widely used method for classifying assistive devices is the international standard ISO 9999. All products and related information in the EASTIN databases are classified according to this standard. ISO 9999 is a three-level classification system that divides devices into "CLASSES" (e.g. mobility, communication and information, leisure activities etc.), "SUBCLASSES" (e.g. within "mobility" motorized wheelchairs, vehicle accessories and adaptations etc.) and if necessary, "GROUPS" (e.g. within "motor-driven wheelchairs", electric wheelchairs with manual steering, electric wheelchairs with power steering, etc.). Each element of the ISO 9999 classification has a numerical code, for example the element "Electrically powered wheelchairs with electronic steering" has the code 12.23.06. The first two digits stand for Class 12 "Mobility", the next two digits stand for SUBCLASS 12.23 "Powered Wheelchairs" and the last two digits stand for the individual group. If you are not yet familiar with the ISO 9999 classification, it is recommended that you spend a few minutes studying it. You will then find your way around the aid landscape much better. The best way to do this is to click on “Guided search with ISO numbers” in the “Assistive products” section and browse through the classes and subclasses to get an overview of the products grouped there. You are free to include the link to the EASTIN system (https://www.eastin.eu/) within your website or other digital media (online documents, social media etc.). By clicking on this link, EASTIN will detect the language of the operating system of your device. If this language is among those available in the system, EASTIN will display in that language, otherwise in English. However, you can also do much more. EASTIN offers a powerful method to activate product searches from your website or media, by simply including links having the following syntax: https://www.eastin.eu/la-CU/searches/products/list?iso=XXYYZZ where "la-CU" stands for a valid code of "language-culture" (see the language-cultures recognised by EASTIN in section "change language") and "XXYYZZ" stands for a valid code of the ISO 9999:2022 classification of assistive products. The link will return the products belonging to that ISO code, found by the EASTIN search engine at THAT MOMENT in the seven databases connected. Please always remember that at another moment the returned products may be not the same, because the underlaying databases are continuosly updated, with new products being added every day, or removed because no longer in the market. For instance: https://www.eastin.eu/nl-BE/searches/products/list?iso=122306 returns all products found by the EASTIN search engine on the current date, belonging to ISO category 12.23.06 (Electrically powered wheelchairs with electronic steering), displayed in the Belgian variant (culture code "BE") of the Dutch language (language code "nl") https://www.eastin.eu/en/searches/products/list?iso=122306 returns the same results in the culture-independent version of the English language (language code "en"). The same (although it may be rarely useful) can be done for searching Companies: https://www.eastin.eu/la-CU/searches/actors/companies/list?iso=XXYYZZ Articles: https://www.eastin.eu/la-CU/searches/associatedinfo/articles/list?iso=XXYYZZ Case descriptions https://www.eastin.eu/la-CU/searches/associatedinfo/casedescriptions/list?iso=XXYYZZ Ideas: https://www.eastin.eu/la-CU/searches/associatedinfo/ideas/list?iso=XXYYZZMay I link my website to the EASTIN system?
