It was launched in 2006 [1] with the goal to provide a one-stop “shop” for end users, clinicians and open-source developers to promote and develop open source assistive technology software.
[5] The OATS website was launched at the end of the OATS project, a one-year pilot project that ended in March 2006, and claimed to be the first open-source repository dedicated to assistive technology.
[2][6] In April 2006, the British Computer Society (BCS) announced that it was backing the OATS project;[7] in August 2006, the British Computer Society's Open Source Specialist Group organised a meeting about the project.
[8] The OATS project was made up of five partner organisations co-ordinated by the ACE Centre.
[9] The OATS repository wants to offer an efficient and intuitive way to access good quality assistive technology.