Introduction

As a U.S. veteran and an assistive technology (AT) specialist, I watch the war in Ukraine through two lenses: the military one I was trained in with and the assistive tech one I work in now.

Drones have completely reshaped the modern battlefield in just a few years. On the civilian side, AT has gone through a similar revolution for people who want to work, learn, and stay independent.

When the stakes are high enough, technology moves fast. We’re seeing that in Ukraine and also in the civilian workplace.

Ukraine: When Prosthetics Have to Scale Like Drones

Ukraine’s veterans are facing amputation rates that are more like World War I than anything since. This scale of demand has radically evolved how prosthetics are designed and delivered.

One major effort is the UN-led initiative “Emergency Assistance For 3D-Printed Prosthetics And Job Creation In Ukraine”, which aims to meet the need for prosthetic limbs by using advanced 3D printing to create lighter, customized prosthetic limbs and train local specialists, including veterans. This initiative is funded by the government and people of Japan.

At the same time, American expertise is on the ground in the Ukraine as well. Mike Corcoran, CEO of Medical Center Orthotics and Prosthetics (MCOP), helped build out a modern prosthetics and rehab center in Kyiv that provides high-end prosthetics and employment paths for Ukrainian veterans.

The pattern is clear: when the system has no choice but to adapt, people step up to make sure it does.

Mobility Tech: Exoskeletons and Robotic Gait Systems

In rehab hospitals and VA centers, powered exoskeletons and robotic gait systems are giving some veterans with spinal cord injuries and stroke the ability to stand and walk with support.

These devices:

• Provide structured gait training and intensive repetition
• Support bone health, circulation, and spasticity management
• Deliver a psychological lift you can’t fake: being eye-to-eye again instead of always in a chair

They’re not science-fiction superhero suits. They’re structured, clinically supervised tools that move people closer to independence and, in some cases, closer to being able to re-enter the work-world in new ways.

Vision Loss Assistive Technology has Also Developed Exponentially

For veterans with vision loss, the good news is that AT developments for blind and low-vision people have been particularly dramatic. Now, more than ever, those with vision loss can navigate the world independently thanks to AI-enabled smart glasses which can read text aloud, recognize faces, and describe surroundings.

When combined with speech recognition and screen readers which allow low-vision users to operate computers and devices more easily than ever, it allows injured veterans to continue in the workforce and be a part of society.

From Battlefield Innovation to Everyday Work

Drones changed warfare because they let skilled operators project power without being physically exposed. Assistive technology is doing something similar for people with disabilities and for veterans who want to stay in the fight in a different way.

Today, it is realistic to picture:

• A veteran with limb loss working as a drone operator, analyst, or technical trainer using voice commands and other AT tools
• A blind or low-vision professional managing email, documents, and meetings independently with a combination of smart glasses, screen readers, and voice tools
• A worker with significant mobility limitations running complex software via speech recognition software
• A person with a spinal cord injury using exoskeleton-based gait training to regain enough stability and endurance to return to school or work

The question is no longer, “Can this person work?”

The real question is, “What mix of technology, training, and support unlocks the most value from their experience and skills?”