African Journal of Disability 2026 Special Collection: We invite you to submit

AOSIS calls on all authors to participate in the African Journal of Disability 2026 special collection that will be published in the open-access scholarly journal. Submit your latest research for consideration, contribute to the open-access content available to everyone, and share your expertise with a wider audience.

Timeline:

• Submissions open: 01 June 2025
• Submissions deadline: 01 September 2025
• Expected publication date: 31 July 2026

Networking Technologies for Disability and Rehabilitation Innovations

Access to assistive technology remains a significant challenge due to barriers such as high costs, limited awareness, procurement difficulties, workforce skill gaps, policy shortcomings, financial constraints, and the fragmented nature of the assistive technology sector. Assistive technologies, including devices, software, and hardware, play a crucial role in enabling individuals with disabilities to engage with digital services, communicate effectively, and participate fully in everyday life. Rehabilitation, which incorporates mobility exercises, strength training, pain management, and physiotherapy, increasingly relies on technological advancements to enhance patient outcomes. However, despite considerable progress, assistive and rehabilitation technologies still face critical gaps, particularly in networking capabilities that ensure real-time responsiveness, secure data exchange, and seamless interoperability.

The integration of networking technologies is essential for improving accessibility, communication, and rehabilitation processes for individuals with disabilities. Many assistive devices require low-latency and high-reliability networks to function optimally, yet current connectivity solutions often fail to meet these demands. The lack of standardization across assistive technology ecosystems further limits device compatibility, leading to fragmented solutions that hinder user experience and accessibility. Moreover, rehabilitation devices such as robotic prosthetics, adaptive wearables, and virtual therapy systems demand stable and efficient communication networks to provide personalized, real-time support.

Security and privacy concerns also pose major challenges in networked assistive technologies. Rehabilitation devices and health-monitoring systems collect sensitive user data, making them vulnerable to cyber threats and unauthorized access. Implementing decentralized and secure solutions such as blockchain technology could enhance data protection while enabling efficient collaboration between patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence and cloud computing offer promising opportunities to optimize rehabilitation services by delivering adaptive learning systems and remote therapy solutions. Emerging technologies such as 5G, IoT, and edge computing have the potential to transform rehabilitation and assistive solutions by enabling high-speed, low-latency communication, real-time data processing, and smart automation. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) systems, which are increasingly used in rehabilitation therapy, require robust networking infrastructure to provide immersive and interactive environments. Similarly, low-power wide-area networks (LPWAN) could offer cost-effective, energy-efficient solutions for continuous health monitoring and remote rehabilitation.

To address these challenges and advance networking technologies for disability and rehabilitation innovations, we invite submissions in a range of multidisciplinary topics.

Recommended topics:

We welcome interdisciplinary submissions on Networking Technologies for Disability and Rehabilitation Innovations, covering topics such as:

1. IoT-enabled assistive devices for improved accessibility
2. Edge computing applications in real-time assistive technology
3. Wearable systems for rehabilitation and continuous health monitoring
4. 5G and beyond for disability support systems
5. Assistive networks and smart home solutions for independent living
6. AI-driven networking solutions for adaptive rehabilitation
7. Cloud-based platforms for remote disability management and rehabilitation
8. Cybersecurity in assistive and rehabilitation networking technologies
9. Interoperability of networking standards in assistive technology ecosystems
10. VR and AR applications in rehabilitation therapy
11. AI-powered accessibility solutions in networked assistive devices
12. LPWAN implementation for cost-effective assistive solutions
13. Haptic feedback systems and the tactile internet for rehabilitation
14. Blockchain-powered socialization and secure data exchange in disability services

Manuscript information:

The author guidelines include information about the types of articles received for publication and preparing a manuscript for submission. Read the full submissions guidelines.

Submission procedure:

When submitting your article to African Journal of Disability, choose ‘Networking Technologies for Disability and Rehabilitation Innovations’ as the article type. You can access the submission portal on the journal’s website after logging in with your personal credentials. For further information on the submission process, visit the journal procedure page.

All submissions will undergo an anonymous review process to guarantee high scientific quality and relevance to the subject. The Editor-in-Chief will make the final decision on acceptance, revision, or rejection based on the feedback from the reviewers.

We will be happy to provide you with any assistance during the submission and application process. Kindly enquire at submissions@ajod.org.

All submissions and inquiries should be directed to the attention of the guest editors:

• Dr Olatayo Moses Olaniyan (Federal University, Nigeria) – olatayo.olaniyan@fuoye.edu.ng
• Dr Temitayo Matthew Fagbola (University of Hull, United Kingdom) – temitayo-matthew.fagbola@hull.ac.uk
• Dr Adebayo Abayomi-Alli (Federal University of Agriculture, Nigeria) – abayomiallia@funaab.edu.ng

We would be honoured to receive a positive reply from you and look forward to receiving your article.