Health Tech
Emerging research, products, and human factors
The Otic placode gives rise to the inner ear in vertebrates. A new study shows that even when it is transplanted to ectopic positions, the nerve cells that grow out of the transplanted ear can form functional connections in the brain.
… READ MOREUsing biomedical modelling, researchers at TU Wien have developed a completely new type of wheelchair; specially designed handles make the drive more efficient and ergonomic. The crank levers change length throughout each revolution,
… READ MOREThis ligament complex would explain chronic pain after an ankle sprain. The superior fascicle of the anterior talofibular ligament (1) is an intra-articular non-isometric structure, that is, it relaxes when the foot is on dorsal
… READ MOREAntibodies for respiratory virus that can cause a rare polio-like disease that causes paralysis in children have been identified by a team of researchers at Purdue University, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the University of
… READ MOREFor the first time, scientists have found a way to reveal the mechanics of the human body’s ‘steering wheel’ – the subtalar joint. Figure 1.5. Illustration of the inversion/eversion and plantar flexion/dorsiflexion movements.
… READ MOREAn open-source movement simulator that has already helped solve problems in medicine, paleontology, and animal locomotion has been expanded and improved, according to a new publication in the open-access journal PLOS Computational
… READ MOREAs of March 30, there were 964 Albertans in hospital April 1, 2022 Alberta could see record COVID-19 hospitalizations within 14 days, early warning system projections suggest Jan 8, 2022. Omicron has completely changed the pandemic
… READ MORERotating the foot in or out during gait is associated with significant decreases in frontal plane knee load during early or late stance, respectively, and can be effective for reducing pain and potentially slowing the progression of
… READ MOREYouth with special needs miss friends but also many services they receive at school. Christopher Craig swims with his son Cameron Armstrong-Craig on a family vacation last summer. Submitted by Christopher Craig Shari Okeke, CBC News
… READ MOREIn 2011, a new custom ankle foot orthotic (AFO) brace, herein referred to as the Moore Balance Brace, was introduced to the podiatric community. From the outset, the Moore Balance Brace was marketed and promoted to prevent falls in
… READ MOREAHS phone line staffed by occupational therapists and physiotherapists. A new advice line set up to help Albertans with physical disabilities and injuries connect with rehabilitation advice during the pandemic is believed to be the
… READ MOREChildren with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (CP) have a preserved ability to imagine grasping with both hands, according to a new study. Recognise Apps for iOS in the Apple App Store and for Android in ▶︎ Google
… READ MOREDoctors in France and northern Italy, one of the areas hardest hit by the new coronavirus, have reported spikes in cases of a rare inflammatory syndrome in young children that appears similar to one reported in the United States,
… READ MOREAlberta’s single site restriction doesn’t apply to health-care aides working in people’s homes. Laverne Bissky and her husband made the decision years ago to take care of their 24-year-old daughter Kasenya Bissky,
… READ MORECOVID-19 has been disruptive to all families, a McMaster University professor says, but the effects of school closures, medical equipment shortages and social distancing are further amplified for families of children with
… READ MOREMore users needed: Lessons from Alberta’s coronavirus contact tracing app. Alberta released its contact tracing app, ABTraceTogether, last week. But early uptake figures and a key design quirk show how challenging it will be for
… READ MOREAs companies re-open, employees may don wearable tech to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Blackline Safety. By Emily Waltz, IEEE Spectrum 1 May 2020 As shuttered businesses make plans to resume on-site operations, many plan to outfit
… READ MOREUniversal Design is better for all humans, not just the disabled. When I became paralyzed at the age of 15, I learned to live by hacking. Can’t walk anymore? Hack ambulation with a wheelchair. Illustration by Raquel Kalil Tyler
… READ MOREHelp accessing personal protective equipment is on the way, says Alberta Health Services. ‘We feel forgotten’: Disability community overlooked during COVID-19, families say. Government of Alberta says its working with
… READ MORE“The belief that exercise is harmful for cartilage is based on misinformation and the current discord between evidence and persistent beliefs highlights the need for better education.” – Dr Alessio Bricca Knee
… READ MOREA pediatric epidemic is sweeping the country. The incidence of infant deformational plagiocephaly and brachycephaly (DPB) and congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) has been on an upward spiral since 1992 when the American Academy of
… READ MORECOVID-19 could be ‘shock to the system’ that leads to social change: author. Author Malcom Gladwell says we don’t all have ‘the same stake’ in the pandemic, and it’s important we recognize the vulnerable
… READ MOREProgram cancellations, increased isolation among issues during pandemic. The Active Souls Project, a gym facility in Kitchener, Ontario, offers adaptive training for people with disabilities. The program was forced to close because of
… READ MOREYoung mother challenged amendment set to take effect April 1. A.C. has been granted a court injunction delaying a change in legislation that would have lowered the age of eligibility for the SFAA program to 22. Trevor Wilson CBC
… READ MORESchools need a closer connection to children with special needs during closures. The Richmond family, left to right: Hayley, Jake, Phil and Harry. Jake and Harry have a rare genetic condition with a variety of complex special needs.
… READ MORESurf therapy is a viable therapeutic option to improve physical fitness among children living with physical disabilities due to cerebral palsy, a study says. Surf’s up, mate. These days, graduate student Kelli Hingerton is on the
… READ MOREA new electromyography biofeedback device that is wearable and connects to novel smartphone games may offer people with incomplete paraplegia a more affordable, self-controllable therapy to enhance their recovery, according to a new
… READ MOREI can’t tell you how thrilled I was to independently send my wife a text for the first time. Meet Todd Stabelfeldt. He’s been using Tecla since February 2014. We asked Todd to share with us his thoughts since introducing Tecla
… READ MOREThe new devices, developed by a collaborative team based in the US, Canada, and Kenya, are easy to use and allow people in different cultural contexts to quickly enhance their ability to communicate. Figure 1. The first prototype (top
… READ MORE1 in 4 Canadians provide care to a family member or friend – StatsCan report. Of those surveyed by Statistics Canada for a report released in January 2020, nearly 70 per cent of caregivers who had received some type of support
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