Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology

Richard L. GoldbergDept. of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hilland Duke University

Outline What is rehabilitation engineering? Influence of disability rights

movement and federal legislation Overview of rehabilitation

engineering research areas Projects built by UNC and Duke

students Conclusion

What is Rehabilitation Engineering?

Rehabilitation engineering the application of science and technology

to improving the quality of life of people with disabilities.

Assistive technology (AT): products, devices or equipment … that are

used to maintain, increase or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities (1998 Tech Act)

Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America

What do rehab engineers do?

Work in research lab clinic industry (i.e. product development lab)

Work with Clients and their families, teachers,

employers Health care providers (MD, OT, PT, SLP)

More clinical work than other engineering fields Engineers must learn how to work with

people with disabilities

Disability rights movement In parallel with civil rights, centered at

Berkeley In 1962, Ed Roberts admitted to Berkeley In 1971, Center for Independent Living

opened in Berkeley Before 1970s, people with disabilities

were not visible in our society Since then, people with disabilities have

been able to integrate This has helped to fuel the growth in

rehabilitation engineering

Civil rights legislation

Granted civil protections to people with disabilities Cannot exclude individual from school, job, etc.

because of their disability

1973 2003

1973Rehabilitation Act

1990Americans w/Disabilities Act (ADA)

Civil rights

Education Legislation

Guarantees the right to a “free, appropriate public education” for all children

Inclusion – children w/disabilities in regular classroom OT, PT, SLP services must be provided in school

1973 2003

1986EHA Amendment

1975Education for the Handicapped Act

1973Rehabilitation Act 1997

IDEA ‘97

1990Americans w/Disabilities Act (ADA)

1990IDEA

Civil rights Education

Assistive Technology Legislation

Source: University of Buffalo Assistive Technology Training Online Project (ATTO)

Provided federal funds to states to develop programs for training and delivery of AT

i.e. NC assistive technology project, Pennsylvania Initiative on AT

1973 2003

1986EHA Amendment

1988Tech Act

1975Education for the Handicapped Act

1973Rehabilitation Act 1997

IDEA ‘971998

Tech Act ‘98

1990Americans w/Disabilities Act (ADA)

1990IDEA

Civil rights EducationAssistivetechnology

Research areas

Augmentative communication

Computer access

                                            

Research areas

Prosthetics and Orthotics

Ergonomics

Research areas

transportation

Recreation

Research areasSensory aids (hearing, vision)

Seating and wheeled mobility

Research areasUniversal design

The design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.

Source: NCSU Center for Universal Design http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/

UNC and Duke projects Project ideas proposed by health care

provider in the community Students in Rehabilitation Engineering

Design class develop custom device in one semester

Device is delivered to client free of charge Project development

Assess the abilities and limitations of the client Propose a device that meets their needs Ongoing interaction with client, family and

therapists Safety is crucial

Pop beads for clients at preschool Public preschool for

children with a variety of disabilities

Teachers use pop-beads to promote better motor control, arm strength, eye-hand coordination

Problem: connecting pop-beads gets boring!

Sensory stimulation pop beads

Beads light up, vibrate, and play a song for 5-10 seconds when connected or disconnected

This makes the task more fun

Inside of bead Battery recharging stand

Communication device for “Chris”

Chris was born with a genetic condition that resulted in a variety of physical and cognitive limitations

Uses a walker or crawls to move around the classroom

Unable to speak intelligibly Uses a simple communication

device Cannot access switches on

commercial portable device

Portable comm. device

We developed a portable device, built into a denim vest

He could play back message by pulling on one of 4 key chains

Teacher or parent could re-record these messages

Sensory stimulation for “Jenny”

Jenny is a 3 year old girl with athetoid cerebral palsy

She has poor arm and trunk strength Her PT requested a device that used

sensory stimulation to encourage her to reach forward and up

Commercial devices were not appropriate

Jenny’s “sound wall”

Five modular blocks Motorcycle handlebar Spinning flower Record / play Telephone Blank

Commercial products were adapted so that she could access them

Work chair for “Emma”

Emma is an adult with autism who works at Orange Enterprises

She is 3 ft. tall She needs a chair that is at an

appropriate height for a 30” work surface She needs to get in and out of her chair

safely She doesn’t have strength to “de-weight”

a standard office chair or “pump up” a barbershop chair

It must be simple to use because she gets upset when her routine is changed

Retractable steps

Uses file drawer slides, springs, and pulleys

When chair rotates, it changes the angle of the file drawer slides

Simple, safe, inconspicuous

Face forward,and steps retract

Turn to side, and steps extend

Orientation device

Preschool age children who are blind need to navigate around the home and classroom

Young children do not have the cognitive ability to use ultrasonic cane or other commercial devices

They need a simple device that helps them to navigate

AODie:Acoustic Orientation Device

5 beacons placed at different “landmarks”

i.e. desk, bathroom, etc. Child holds control box Box has 5 raised buttons, each

with a different shape, that correspond to 5 beacons

When a button is pressed: The corresponding beacon

“beeps” The control box plays a

prerecorded message, i.e. “this is your desk”

Simple to use!

Conclusions

Rehabilitation engineering and assistive technology can improve the quality of life for people with disabilities

Students have designed, built, and delivered a variety of custom assistive devices

Students have applied their engineering skills to address a real need for an individual

Response has been very positive, although there has been no formal evaluation of success

Acknowledgements

Students in Rehabilitation Engineering Design class at UNC and Duke

Teachers and therapists Clients and their families who inspired

the projects Larry Bohs and Kevin Caves at Duke Funded by NSF grant BES-9981867 and

UNC Ueltschi Service Learning grant

Any questions? Resources

UNC web site: http://www.bme.unc.edu/~rlg/rehabDesign

Duke web site: http://www.duke.edu/~lnb/bme260

NSF web site: http://nsf-pad.bme.uconn.edu/