Human factors
Designing products and systems to fit human bodies and cognitive ability
Dillan Barmache can’t speak, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have anything to say. In fact, Dillan has complex and powerful thoughts, and thanks to easily accessible technology paired with innovative apps, you can hear his
… READ MOREEmma, 12, who suffers from Rett Syndrome, enjoys her time in the pool at Emily Follensbee School with her Watsu therapist Tanya Salwach. Christina Ryan, Calgary Herald. By Annalise Klingbeil, Calgary Herald March 17, 2016 The
… READ MOREA common question from parents of students in Joi Weir’s junior high class is whether their child is making friends. The answer is usually no. Cally Burt, 13, explores the sensory room at Emily Follensbee School. Christina Ryan,
… READ MOREOver 100 children with various special needs were fitted with customized bikes in Spruce Grove on Sunday. Similarly, support for The CP Kids Adapted Bike Program in Calgary is huge. See you in Calgary on April 2, 2016. Details and
… READ MOREPut your phone away when I’m talking to you. Don’t text while you’re driving — not even at red lights. Stop posting photos of me without my permission. A new study from University of Washington human centered design and
… READ MOREAny insole that offers an increased level of support is probably better than nothing, but the difference between a prefab [off the shelf] and a full custom orthotic is basically on a scale of varying levels of support and specificity.
… READ MORECartilage volume loss was reduced in patients with knee osteoarthritis who supplemented with glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, and retention of cartilage was related to exposure time to treatment during a period of 6 years,
… READ MOREResearch led by UCLA professor on ‘OpenNotes’ model finds that follow-up emails are critical to keeping patients in the know. Enrique Rivero, UCLA Newsroom February 11, 2016 A study led by Dr. John Mafi, a professor at the David
… READ MOREThe patient, a wiry businessman in his 50s, needed a copy of his medical records to bring to a specialist for a second opinion. He assumed that getting the copies would be straightforward; the records were, after all, his. By Pauline
… READ MORERegister for the 2016 Adapted Bike Clinic $50 Membership entitles you to the use of a custom-fit bike for a year! Cerebral Palsy Kids and Families has hosted the Adapted Bike Clinic in Calgary for over 15 years. The Discovery
… READ MOREPlayFULL POTENTIAL Child and Family Therapy Services is a private practice team that provides service coordination, psychology, speech-language therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy in Calgary, Alberta. Services may
… READ MORELife is a highway… we’ll get you there! Accessible Vehicle Solutions is opening the road to your freedom by providing an exceptional customer service experience. We are dedicated to providing up-to-date resources and
… READ MOREAt the Zurich games, people with disabilities will use robotics to go for the gold. Gearing Up: In a November training session, cyborg cyclist Michael McClellan takes a turn around a Cleveland park. Photo: Nathaniel Welch. IEEE
… READ MOREA Japanese startup is betting that an aging population of tech savvy first adopters will want their super-wheelchair. Whill To Rule: A wheelchair designed with techies in mind can make tight maneuvers. WHILL photo By Tam Harbert, IEEE
… READ MOREIndividuals with knee osteoarthritis can benefit more from intensive physical therapy paired with subsequent booster sessions than from a shorter period of concentrated physical therapy, according to a recent study. By Whitney L.J.
… READ MOREThe Smart-Drive MX2 is an electric drive unit designed to attach to an ordinary wheelchair and give a much needed boost whenever it’s needed. The unit has an anti-rollback feature, so that if you stop midway up a hill, the unit
… READ MOREAs any parent at bedtime knows, getting kids to do something they don’t want to is one of life’s biggest challenges. In the late 1990s, physicians at the Alberta Children’s Hospital were looking for inspiration on how to coax
… READ MOREDitching shoelaces, velcros, and those new-fangled self-lacing robotic shoe-fastening alternatives, the Furoshiki by Vibram is an innovative new way to wear shoes. Vibram Furoshiki by Vibram S.p.A. Developed by Vibram, a leader in
… READ MOREWeb accessibility for museums. The Metropolitan Museum of Art + The New School for Design at Parsons, New York. A group of students with disabilities visiting the Museum’s Cast Collection galleries, Wing B, Gallery 40.
… READ MOREFollowing his injury in 2013, Martyn Ashton, trials legend, creator of Road Bike Party 2, and, above all family man and bike rider, began his inspirational journey to get back on track. Joined by his friends Danny MacAskill, Chris
… READ MOREPosted by Kate Torgovnick May, TEDBlog November 28, 2012 Janine Shepherd, Pilot – A broken body is not a broken person. Athlete Janine Shepherd was rendered a partial paraplegic when she was hit by a truck during an Olympic
… READ MOREAll bodies are getting assistance from technology all the time, yet some are stigmatized. Abler is one woman’s quest to rectify this. A common example of assistive technology. Patrick Murphy, Flickr Rebecca J. Rosen, The
… READ MOREWhether clothing or footwear products, Nike is known for never being afraid to experiment with new technologies. The latest example is the company’s new Zoom Soldier 8, a gorgeous shoe that was designed for people facing
… READ MOREDisability Visibility with Along Wong. Exploring the provocative side of disability. 2015 marks the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and there are a number of efforts underway to publicly acknowledge that
… READ MOREFunctional electrical stimulation bike in Faculty of Kinesiology’s Thrive Centre available for public use. Amanda Timm, 21, is now able to cycle again using the FES bicycle at her school, the University of Calgary. Jennifer
… READ MOREThe basic goal of orthotic management is to improve toe clearance during swing and provide stability during stance, but new technologies—from energy-storing composites to functional electrical stimulation—do much more. By Jeremy
… READ MOREPectus excavatum surgery was the most painful experience of my life, but the self-confidence I gained made it worth it. Playing in the surf. Porto Covo, Portugal. Wikimedia Commons Tears rushed down my face as I looked at my
… READ MOREI was a fanatical tennis player for decades until my increasingly painful arthritic knees forced me to stop playing. The knees were replaced two years later, but by then, I had filled in my life with other activities, including a
… READ MOREPedro tests a self-powered, ‘rowing’ wheelchair that lets him paddle to move forward and backward. Watching, from left, are his sister and mother, Shriners surgeon Gloria Gogola, Rice Professor Ann Saterbak and Shriners
… READ MOREAfter taking a look at the Jet Blade hydroplaning watercraft last week, we were alerted to another senior design project from Calvin College, Michigan. A different group of students has designed and prototyped a device they’re
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