Occupational therapy

Tobii TD Pilot brings gaze-based typing, text-to-speech and app navigation to iPad

TD Pilot is an eye-controlled communication device for iPad. Designed to empower people with conditions such as ALS/MND, spinal cord injury or cerebral palsy to communicate and use their favourite apps, this iPadOS-based speech … READ MORE

New treatment to regain hand and arm function after spinal cord injury

Using physical therapy combined with a noninvasive method of stimulating nerve cells in the spinal cord, University of Washington researchers helped six Seattle area participants regain some hand and arm mobility. That increased … READ MORE

Like polio, the long-term impact of COVID will be measured in disability

Will the large numbers of people with disabilities from COVID make our society more accessible and inclusive? Polio causes paralysis is about one in 200 patients. Survivors like Gifford, shown here age 2 at the Sudbury General … READ MORE

Older adults with Cerebral palsy need more, receive less physical therapy for painful medical conditions

The findings reveal a significant burden on a clinically underserved population. Adults living with cerebral palsy need individualized, multidisciplinary care that grows with them. Michigan Medicine adult cerebral palsy patient Jodi … READ MORE

‘Some people describe it as being magical’: Horses provide a unique form of relaxation therapy for front-line workers

Gravel roads crunching under tires; chirping birds overhead silencing the highway hum; and a dozen well-groomed horses, manes braided, picking at their nets of hay – those are the sights and sounds that greet stressed-out … READ MORE

Disabled researcher calls for better support for faculty

Academic institutions need to do much more to support faculty members with disabilities and to create an environment in which they can thrive, argues a commentary published May 18 in the journal Trends in Neurosciences. Breaking … READ MORE

What’s ahead for people with disabilities in the post-pandemic workplace?

Experts report on employment and vocational rehabilitation considerations for people with disabilities during and after the COVID-19 pandemic across health, work, and education in this special issue of the Journal of Vocational … READ MORE

Student develops low-cost device to help people with speech disorders

Individuals with speech disorders often rely on expensive devices to help them communicate with others, but an Illinois Institute of Technology student has developed a cheaper, yet equally effective, alternative. The device will be … READ MORE

Equity in access and use of rehabilitation services in Canada

Two Canadians, equal under the law. Only one gets rehabilitation services. What gives? By Nivetha Chandran, rehabinkmag February 4, 2021 To answer this question, we must start by understanding what the Canadian healthcare system is … READ MORE

Student awarded NIH Fellowship to examine balance, walking in children with cerebral palsy

Hassan Farah, a Virginia Tech translational biology, medicine, and health graduate student, has been awarded a $98,000 National Institutes of Health grant that will fund his remaining predoctoral research. The award supports … READ MORE

An engineer explains how to forge a career designing for disabilities

Blessin Varkey develops tech to help Indian students with cognitive disabilities. Screen Time: A Tamana student uses tablet-based software to improve a variety of skills. Blessin Varkey IEEE Spectrum By Dinsa Sachan, IEEE Spectrum 25 … READ MORE

Parkinson’s results beyond researchers’ wildest dreams

A treatment that has restored the movement of patients with chronic Parkinson’s disease has been developed by Canadian researchers. Parkinson’s results beyond researchers’ wildest dreams. treatment that has restored … READ MORE

Standing frame intervention improves life for people with MS

John Kendrick, from Sparkwell, near Plymouth, has progressive multiple sclerosis, and never thought he’d be able to walk any distance again. Now, thanks to taking part in a clinical trial at the University of Plymouth, he can … READ MORE

Parents modeling physical activity help kids with developmental disabilities improve motor skills

Parents can make a big difference by modeling and supporting physical activity in daily life, especially with younger children. A parent plays a game with her child. OSU Molly Rosbach, Oregon State University March 24, 2020 Corvallis, … READ MORE

New program aims to train doctors on developmental disabilities

A new effort is underway to better prepare future doctors and other health care professionals to treat people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. First-year medical students learn to use an automated external … READ MORE

Alberta school boards lobby to reinstate funding program for children with disabilities and delays

Association wants province to restore early intervention PUF program to 2018 levels. A motion passed by the Alberta School Boards Association at a recent meeting means they will now fight for funding of the PUF program to be restored … READ MORE

Industrial designers and biomedical engineers team up to address unmet needs of wounded veterans

Outcomes of the course might include assistive device prototypes, smartphone apps that better connect patients with providers, or virtual reality systems that enable remote therapy. Elham Morshedzadeh, Chris Arena, and Pamela … READ MORE

Robotic neck brace dramatically improves functions of ALS patients

Comfortable brace incorporates both sensors and actuators to restore roughly 70% of the active range of motion. A study participant wearing the neck brace. Photo and Video credit: Haohan Zhang and Sunil K. Agrawal, Columbia … READ MORE

Therapeutic horseback riding combined with cognitive exercises can help children with ADHD and Autism

Therapeutic horseback riding combined with brain-building exercises can improve the dexterity, coordination and strength of children with neurodevelopmental disorders, shows a study in Frontiers in Veterinary Science. Whispering … READ MORE

Gore (the Gore-Tex company) thinks it holds the key to on-skin wearables

Gore is recruiting startups to Silicon Valley to make wearables or flexible electronics from the same material used in Gore-Tex. Gore Innovation Center By Tekla S. Perry, IEEE Spectrum 13 July 2018 I confess, I wasn’t familiar with … READ MORE

20% of disabled Albertans who need workplace modifications don’t get them

Advocates say employers are changing for the better. Experts say it’s often small adjustments that make a big difference for disabled staff in a work environment. Alexander Zemlianichenko, Associated Press Amy Tucker, CBC News … READ MORE

October is disability employment awareness month

Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM) is an annual awareness campaign that takes place each October. The purpose of Disability Employment Awareness Month is to promote employment inclusion for people with disabilities and … READ MORE

Jaw-strengthening teether designed for children with Down syndrome

Hannah Ferrill, a Purdue University alumna in industrial design from Purdue’s College of Liberal Arts, has developed a jaw-strengthening teether for children with Down syndrome. Hannah Ferrill Chris Adam, Purdue University April 6, … READ MORE

An engineer, his Segway, and the ADA: A tale of the open road

Technology and legislation allowed Walter Marsh to work and to explore despite a debilitating heart condition. The author’s father, Walter Marsh, explored the lava fields of Craters of the Moon, in Idaho. Photo: Allison Marsh By … READ MORE

Video game representation

“Momma, you’ve gotta see this,” my 5-year-old son River says from the living room where he is playing Lego City Undercover on the Xbox. “I unlocked a wheelchair. It’s so cool.” As I roll into the room, I see his character, … READ MORE

Software recreates complex movements for medical, rehabilitation, and basic research

An 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 MORE

I’m scared: parents of children with disability struggle to get the basics during coronavirus

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on all Australians, but there are very good reasons why the impact might be more keenly felt by people with disability and their carers. More than isolated: The experience of children and young … READ MORE

No physio, no socializing: Kids with special needs face new challenges during COVID-19

Youth 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 MORE

Switch Control changed my world

I 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 MORE

DIY tools TalkBox and SenseBox help people with disabilities to communicate

The 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 MORE

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