Browse the latest research summaries in the field of assistive technology for spinal cord injury patients and caregivers.
Showing 511-520 of 583 results
Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil, 2012 • January 1, 2012
This study assessed the peak force during wheelchair propulsion over obstacles from the Wheelchair Skills Test in individuals with spinal cord injury. The results demonstrate that more difficult wheel...
KEY FINDING: Statistically significant increases in peak forces were observed when propelling over obstacles compared to level surfaces.
Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil, 2012 • January 1, 2012
The study examined wheelchair skill performance of manual wheelchair users with SCI. Many participants had difficulty performing community and advanced level skills. Additional wheelchair skills train...
KEY FINDING: A majority of the manual wheelchair users were unable to complete the community and advanced level WST skills.
IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng, 2013 • November 1, 2013
This paper introduces the dual-mode Tongue Drive System (dTDS), a novel human-computer interface designed to assist individuals with severe disabilities in accessing computers more efficiently. The dT...
KEY FINDING: The dual-mode Tongue Drive System (dTDS) significantly improves the speed of completing complex computer access tasks compared to using tongue motion or speech recognition alone.
Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 2013 • October 1, 2013
The study examined the effects of electrical stimulation to the trunk and hip muscles on manual wheelchair propulsion in individuals with spinal cord injury. Results showed that stimulation can improv...
KEY FINDING: Three out of five subjects demonstrated reduced peak resultant pushrim forces and improved efficiency with stimulation during self-paced level propulsion.
Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil, 2013 • January 1, 2013
This article provides recommendations for selecting appropriate mobility options for children with spinal cord injury (SCI), considering medical necessity, neurological level, ASIA Impairment Scale sc...
KEY FINDING: Power wheelchairs offer various drive wheel configurations (front, mid, rear) to suit different terrains and maneuverability needs.
J Rehabil Res Dev, 2013 • April 1, 2013
This study assessed functional priorities and interest in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) among veterans with spinal cord injury (SCI). The survey revealed that restoring bladder/bowel control, walki...
KEY FINDING: Restoration of bladder/bowel control, walking, and arm/hand function were all high priorities for improving quality of life among veterans with SCI.
IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng, 2014 • May 1, 2014
This paper assessed a lower limb exoskeleton for providing legged mobility to people with paraplegia, comparing it to KAFOs using standardized tests. Results indicated the subject performed mobility t...
KEY FINDING: The subject performed the timed up-and-go test 25% faster with the exoskeleton compared to KAFOs.
The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2013 • July 1, 2013
This paper describes how novel technologies such as the computer-assisted rehabilitation environment (CAREN) may improve physical and cognitive rehabilitation for wounded warfighters. The CAREN system...
KEY FINDING: Virtual reality-based gait training programs can positively influence physiological and biomechanical performance in individuals with combat injuries.
The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2013 • July 1, 2013
The study investigated the vertical ground reaction forces (vGRF) during powered exoskeleton-assisted walking in individuals with motor-complete spinal cord injury (SCI). The researchers compared vGRF...
KEY FINDING: Participants with motor-complete SCI, ambulating independently with a ReWalk™, demonstrated mechanical loading magnitudes and patterns similar to able-bodied gait.
Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 2013 • July 3, 2013
The MUNDUS project introduces a modular assistive framework designed to restore upper limb function in individuals with severe motor impairments, such as those with spinal cord injuries or neurodegene...
KEY FINDING: The functionality of all MUNDUS modules was successfully demonstrated, showing potential for assisting daily life activities.