Forging a New Future: Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Technology Research and Development
WELCOME TO THE FIRST WALS LECTURE OF 2023. I'M A TENURE TRACK INVESTIGATOR IN THE NEUROREHABILITATION SECTION OF THE CLINICAL CENTER'S REHABILITATION MEDICINE DEPARTMENT. I'M THRILLED AND HONORED TO INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKER TODAY, DR. RORY COOPER, WHO HAS PIONEERED INNOVATIVE DESIGN FOR WHEELCHAIRS AND OTHER ASSISTIVE ROBOTICS AND DEVICES.
DR. COOPER IS AND THIS WILL TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO SAY, THE PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR AND PAST CHAIR IN DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, PROFESSOR OF BIOENGINEERING, PHYSICAL MEDICINE, REHABILITATION AND ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH. HE'S ALSO ASSISTANT VICE CHAIR FOR STEM AT PITTSBURGH INVITED PROFESSOR AT A UNIVERSITY IN CHINA. ADDITIONALLY, PERHAPS MOST PERTINENT, HE'S FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF HUMAN ENGINEERING RESEARCH LABORATORIES AT PITT WHERE HE AND TEAM CREATE TOOLS TO HELP PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES MAXIMIZE THEIR POTENTIAL. AS YOU CAN SEE, DR. COOPER USES
A WHEELCHAIR TO MOVE ABOUT. WHILE SERVING IN THE U.S. ARMY, IN GERMANY IN 1980, AN ACCIDENT LEFT HIM WITH A PARALYZING SPINAL CORD INJURY. HE WAS ONLY 20 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME, THIS ACCIDENT CLEARLY HAS SHAPED DR. COOPER'S LIFE IN WAYS
THAT I CONSIDER POSITIVE BY VIRTUE OF HIS THEN PUTTING THIS EXPERIENCE AND HIS INTELLIGENCE AND CREATIVITY TO WORK IN HELPING IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OTHERS. AFTER HIS MILITARY SERVICE, HE EARNED A BACHELOR'S AND MASTER'S, RECEIVED HIS Ph.D. IN ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING WITH CONCENTRATION IN BIOENGINEERING FROM UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA. WENT ON TO BE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT SACRAMENTO STATE UNIVERSITY, BEFORE MOVING TO PITT AS ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR WHERE HE FOUNDED THE HUMAN ENGINEERING RESEARCH LAB AND ALSO V.A. CENTER. HE HAS AUTHORED OR CO-AUTHORED ALMOST 400 PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLES, TWO BOOKS, CO-AUTHOR OF THE AWARD-WINNING BOOK, CARE OF THE COMBAT AMPUTEE, 20 PATENTS AWARDED OR PENDING.
FOR A BRIEF SNAPSHOT OF HIS WORK, DO A YouTube SEARCH OF COOPER AND NEW CHAIR, THAT'S PNEU SHORT FOR PNEUMATICS, POWERED BY COMPRESSED AIR WHICH BROADENS POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTS FOR USE INCLUDING FOR EXAMPLE ALLOWING CHILDREN TO OPERATE THIS WHEELCHAIR AT A WATER PARK WITHOUT FEAR OF BEING ELECTROCUTED. DR. COOPER HAS DONE SIMILAR REHAB WORK WITH INJURED VETERANS THROUGH COLLABORATIONS WITH OUR COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE STREET AT WALTER REED NATIONAL MILITARY MEDICAL CENTER, MANY OF WHOM I'M TOLD ARE WATCHING TODAY.
DR. COOPER'S AN ACCOMPLISHED ATHLETE, PARTICIPANTS IN NATIONAL VETERANS WHEELCHAIR GAMES, WINNING MORE THAN 200 MEDALS IN SPORTS SUCH AS SLALOM, TRACK, SWIMMING, TABLE TENNIS, HAND CYCLE. AS WE NOTED IN OUR ADVERTISEMENT FOR THIS LECTURE, WE'RE PRETTY SURE DR. COOPER IS THE ONLY WALS SPEAKER TO BE FEATURED ON A BOX OF CHEERIOS FOR HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
WE'RE STILL CHECKING WITH DR. FAUCI'S OFFICE. YOU NEVER KNOW. BUT WE PRETTY CONFIDENT. OTHER HONORS INCLUDE SIGMA CHI MCGOVERN AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT TRANSCENDING THE CAREER HAME NEXT SERVICE TO AMERICAN SERVICE MEDAL.
ARMY DISTINGUISHED SERVICE, AND SECRETARY OF DEFENSE MEDAL, LAST WEEK NAMED TO NATIONAL INVENT HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2023. I COULD CONTINUE BUT NOW I WANT TO SHARE THE PLEASURE WITH YOU AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE HAD THROUGHOUT THE DAY OF HEARING FROM OUR SPEAKER. THE TITLE IS FORGING A NEW FUTURE, INCLUSION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
PLEASE HELP ME IN WELCOMING DR. RORY COOPER. [APPLAUSE] >>THANK YOU, THOMAS, FOR THE GREAT INTRODUCTION AND FOR LETTING ME BE BACK AT NIH AND LET ME SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES AND MILLIONS OF WITH DISABILITIES ACROSS AMERICA AND HOPEFULLY I'LL SHARE CONTRIBUTIONS WE MADE AND HAVE A LITTLE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS WE HOPE TO MAKE AND MAYBE SOME THINGS WE CAN DO TOGETHER. THIS IS OUR BROCHURE FROM WHEN WE TURNED 25, WILL TURN 30 NEXT YEAR, I CAME TO PITTSBURGH AS -- ACTUALLY NON-TENURE STREAM POSITION, FOR THREE YEARS, AND 29 YEARS LATER I'M STILL THERE. IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL CAREER, BOTH WITH THE V.A. AND
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, AS WELL AS COLLABORATING IN BETHESDA. LET ME SHOW YOU A QUICK VIDEO. >>ONE IN SEVEN PEOPLE HAS A DISABILITY THAT IMPAIRS THEIR ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING AND TECHNOLOGY HAS POTENTIAL FOR IMPROVING LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. >>I WAS A SERGEANT IN EUROPE WHEN I WAS INJURED, CAME HOME WITH A SPINAL CORD INJURY, HAD TO USE A WHEELCHAIR. IT WAS LIKE AN 80-POUND BEHEMOTH I COULD HARDLY GET IN THE CAR.
I REALIZED THERE WERE TREMENDOUS NEEDS FOR IMPROVING TECHNOLOGY, IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENT, IMPROVING PERCEPTIONS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. I OPPORTUNITY AROSE TO WORK WITH UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AND V.A. PITTSBURGH HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, IT WAS NATURAL THAT WE WOULD START HERL. >>THE MISSION IS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH ADVANCED RESEARCH OR ENGINEERING, GET PEOPLE MORE INTEGRATED INTO THE COMMUNITY, TO MAKE THEM MORE ENDENT THROUGH SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE HERE, WHETHER EDUCATIONAL OR RESEARCH OR OUTREACH. SOME OF THE THINGS YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ME I WANTED TO SHARE, THIS PICTURE HERE, PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE, MY FIRST MARATHON, MY HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER.
ONE THING THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS PICTURE, THIS IS MY PEER MENTOR, SOMETHING WE NEED TO USE MORE, TIM DAVIS, INJURED IN THE TET OFFENSIVE, A MARINE. THE OTHER THING, TIM AND I ARE STILL FRIENDS. THE V.A. WAS COLLABORATIVE IN
MANAGING ME WITH TIM, MARRIED, WITH KIDS, WORKED, GAVE ME A ROLE MODEL TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT FROM AS WELL. I LIKE THE TITLE OF THE ARTICLE. THAT WAS OUR FIRST MARATHON BOTH FOR TIM AND I. THIS IS ABOUT THE HALFWAY POINT. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT I WON MY FIRST MARATHON.
TIM WAS MORE OF A BASKETBALL PLAYER. UNFORTUNATELY, IN 2019 I GOT TO EXPERIENCE REHAB ALL OVER AGAIN, NOT SOMETHING I WOULD RECOMMEND. I HAD A PRETTY SEVERE ACCIDENT IN THE MARINE CORPS MARATHON HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C., WOUND UP IN A COMA FOR ABOUT FOUR DAYS, GOT GREAT CARE BY SOME OF YOUR FRIENDS ACROSS THE STREET, AND THEN WENT BACK TO PITTSBURGH, BACK TO THE V.A. AND AFTER GOING THROUGH REHAB, LEARNING THAT PROCESS, WENT TO ACUTE REHAB, OUTPATIENT REHAB, BACK FULLY IN THE FIGHT BUT WAS ALSO SURPRISED HOW MUCH CHANGED, HOW MUCH HAD NOT CHANGED IN THAT TIME PERIOD.
AND THEN JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ME THAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW, THIS IS AN ARTICLE IN THE ENGINEERING TIMES, AND CAME OUT IN THE 1990s AFTER I HAD DONE THIS RACE IN SEATTLE, AND I WENT TO A BURGER KING AFTERWARDS AND IF YOU SAW THE VIDEO, IN THE EARLY RACING CHAIRS THE WHEELS WERE UNDER YOUR ARMPITS, BLOODY, DIRTY, ROAD DIRT. THIS GENTLEMAN, THIS REPORTER, WAS THERE. AND HE THOUGHT I WAS A HOMELESS VETERAN. WE GOT TO TALKING IN LINE. I'M A PROFESSOR, I HAVE A Ph.D., I DO RESEARCH.
HE WROTE THIS ARTICLE THAT SAID FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE NOT CORRECT. I WOUND UP BUYING HIM LUNCH, AND WE HAD BREAKFAST TOGETHER. I DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS A REPORTER, HE NEVER TOLD ME. THIS ARTICLE CAME OUT. TWENTY YEARS LATER I'M DOING THE AIR FORCE MARATHON IN DAYTON, OHIO, WITH A GROUP OF PARALYZED VETERANS, PEOPLE FROM THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT, I CROSSED THE FINISH LINE.
THIS GENTLEMAN RUNS UP TO ME AND SAYS, ARE YOU DR. COOPER? YES. HEY, MY SON JUST BEAT YOU IN THE MARATHON! OH, THAT'S NICE.
THAT'S GREAT. OH, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT. STAY HERE, I WANT TO GET YOU SOMETHING. HE WAS AN ENGINEER, AND HE HAD SEEN THE ARTICLE WHEN IT CAME OUT.
HIS SON WAS BORN WITH SPINA BIFIDA. HE BOUGHT TWO COPIES OF THE NEWSPAPER, HAD THEM LAMINATED, HUNG ONE NEXT TO HIS SON'S BED AND TOOK ONE AND HUNG IT IN HIS CUBICLE. HE TOLD ME THAT HIS SON HAD JUST GRADUATED FROM MICHIGAN, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, MECHANICAL ENGINEER, AND THAT HE WAS AN ATHLETE, JUST BECAUSE OF ME, FOLLOWING MY HISTORY, MY LIFESTYLE. IT'S LIKE EINSTEIN SAYS, YOU'RE ALWAYS AN EXAMPLE EVEN IF A BAD EXAMPLE. SO, IT WAS REMARKABLE.
AS A GIFT HE GAVE ME A LAMINATED COPY OF THE ARTICLE. IT WAS PROBABLY THE BEST WAY FOR ME TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE ARTICLE, RATHER THAN WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT. THIS IS A QUOTE FROM THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF DISABILITY, ONE OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES TO THE PRESIDENT. I LIKE IT BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO IS REALLY ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, OLDER ADULTS, RESEARCH AREAS, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES TO BE MEMBERS OF YOUR RESEARCH TEAM. HOPEFULLY YOU'LL SEE THROUGH MY SLIDES AND THE VIDEO, THIS PICTURE OF BRANDON AND JOHN DUVALL, JOHN IS A -- OOPS, SORRY. JOHN IS A COLLEAGUE OF MINE NOW IN HERL, PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, BRANDON IS ONE OF OUR POSTDOCS.
THEY ARE BOTH ENGINEERS. BRANDON STUDIED ENGINEERING SCIENCE, BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER, JOHN IS BIOMECHANICAL, HELPS MAKE THE RESEARCH REAL AS WELL. WE NEED WAR OPPORTUNITIES, IT'S LOSS KNOWLEDGE IF WE DON'T BE MORE INCLUSIVE. ♪ >>I LEFT FEELING WITH -- >>OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS, ONE OF OUR VETERAN STUDENTS.
♪ >>I GO TO THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, A COMPUTER ENGINEER. >>I'M GOING TO GO BACK, YOU DON'T NEED TO SEE THE WHOLE VIDEO ABOUT LAURA. ONE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT, FINDING OUR VETERANS AND HELPING GET THEM INTO COLLEGE, WE HAVE THIS -- IF YOU HAVE STUDENTS YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT ARE INTERESTED WE HAVE SEVERAL SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS, ELEVATE IS FOR VETERAN COMMUNITY, WE HAVE A VALOR PROGRAM, WHICH HAS INTRODUCED PEOPLE INTERESTED IN V.A. RESEARCH CAREERS, SO 10-WEEK PAID INTERNSHIPS, NSF-FUNDED RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR UNDERGRADUATES THAT CAN SPEND TIME WITH US.
THERE'S A LOT MORE RESEARCH NEEDED, BUT THE POWER OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES BETTER IS ESTABLISHED NOW. I ACTUALLY, WHEN I TALK TO OUR RESIDENTS, TELL THEM, IT'S ONE OF THE FEW THINGS A RESIDENT CAN PRESCRIBE IS PRETTY MUCH GUARANTEED TO HAVE A POSITIVE OUTCOME FOR THEIR PATIENTS. AND SO LET ME MOVE ON. SO ONE OF THE THINGS I STARTED WORKING ON PROBABLY IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE MY NORMAL DOMAIN, IS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY THERE ARE NOT AS MANY SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS WITH DISABILITIES IN OUR FIELD.
AND PART OF THAT LARGELY HAS TO DO WITH THREE FACTORS. IT HAS TO DO WITH ACCESSIBILITY OF LABORATORIES, FIELD EXERCISES AND COMPUTING RESOURCES. SO A CIVILITY PROBLEM. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THE KNOWLEDGE GAP.
A LOT OF TEACHERS AND SCIENTISTS DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE THEIR PROGRAMS INCLUSIVE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. THE THIRD PROBLEM HAS TO DO WITH THE WAY THAT WE DO SCIENCE EDUCATION. IN MANY HIGH SCHOOLS, MANY STATES, SCIENCE EDUCATION IS NOT REQUIRED AFTER MIDDLE SCHOOL. A LOT OF KIDS WITH DISABILITIES ARE REDIRECTED INTO OTHER AREAS, AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY THEN TO BECOME SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS. I THINK THAT LEADS TO A LACK OF SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO AMERICAN SOCIETY. SO, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT IN BOTH THE MEDICAL SPACE AND THE ENGINEERING SPACE.
THE NICE THING IS THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION STARTED TO PICK UP ON THIS AND IS AWARDING GRANTS. THEY HAVE A PROBLEM CALLED INCLUDES FOR UNDERREPRESENTED -- TRAINING UNDERREPRESENTED SCIENTISTS, THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THE VETERANS COMMUNITY. I'M GOING TO TALK NOW MORE ABOUT OUR ACTUAL RESEARCH. WE USE THIS PADE PROCESS, WHILE WE LOOK AT USER INGAUGE.
THROUGH THE PROCESS, BEGINNING WITH USER IDENTIFICATION, STORY BOARDING, MOVIES ARE MADE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, MOCKUP SYSTEMS. THIS IS -- THESE ARE ALSO A COUPLE FORMER STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, JOE WILSON AND IAN RICE. WE DO LARGE SCALE SURVEYS AND THEN WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
SO, WE ACTUALLY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING ANOTHER SURVEY OF OVER A THOUSAND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES LOOKING AT RESEARCH PRIORITIES TO SET OUR PRIORITIES. THIS IS A SURVEY WE DID THREE YEARS AGO, THE RESULTS VERY INTERESTING. FIVE PRIORITIES PEOPLE CAME UP WITH.
AND IT REALLY SHOWS A COUPLE THINGS. PEOPLE ARE -- END USERS ARE PRETTY ASTUTE AND CLEVER AT WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE. AND WHAT RESEARCH PRIORITIES COULD BE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS -- IF YOU LOOK AT THE CENTER, ONE REALLY OVERARCHING TEAM WAS PARTICIPATORY DESIGN AND RESEARCH, THAT INCLUDED UNIVERSAL DESIGN, IMPROVING POLICY AND PRACTICE, REDUCING COST, COST EFFECTIVENESS. IMPROVING EDUCATION, DEVELOPING STANDARDS AND IMPROVING RELIABILITY, AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION WITH FOUR TECHNICAL DOMAINS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED, SUBCATEGORIES WITHIN THOSE DOMAINS. THAT GUIDES OUR RESEARCH. THAT'S WHERE WE ARE PUTTING OUR EMPHASIS AND OUR RESOURCES. IT'S ALSO INTERESTING WE DID THIS STUDY, WE FOUND PEOPLE THAT IDENTIFIED THE NEED TO DEVELOP TECHNOLOGIES THAT ACTUALLY EXIST AND BY AND LARGE ARE READY AVAILABLE. THAT IDENTIFIED THERE WAS A KNOWLEDGE GAP.
THAT HOW DO WE DISSEMINATE OUR RESEARCH AND OF COURSE YOU KNOW HERE AT NIH AND THOSE LISTENING, GET FUNDING BY VARIOUS FEDERAL AGENCIES OR WORK IN THEM, WE TEND TO FOCUS ON PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS WHICH IS NECESSARY BUT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS COMMUNICATING TO OUR PEERS, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING TO THE END USERS WHICH COULD BE CLINICIANS OR THE PEOPLE USING THE TECHNOLOGY OR THE THERAPEUTICS OR THE THERAPIES THAT WE DEVELOP. SO WE STUDY THAT AS WELL, IN THIS STUDY OF OVER 500 PEOPLE, WE DID DO K CLUSTER ANALYSIS AND FOUND IT FILL IN THREE GROUPS. I THINK THE MOST INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS IS PEOPLE DO RELY HEAVILY ON CLINICIANS AS A KNOWLEDGE SOURCE, WHERE THEY SHOULD GET NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND WHERE SHOULD GET NEW TREATMENTS. BUT THE OTHER THING THAT'S INTERESTING IS THAT ACTUALLY MORE OLDER PEOPLE ARE RELYING ON THE INTERNET AND USING THE SEARCH ENGINES FOR FINDING SOURCES OF INFORMATION. SO, WE RECENTLY JUST COMPLETED A META-ANALYSIS, AND THE META-ANALYSIS ACTUALLY FOUND OUT THAT THE -- BROKE DOWN DOMAINS INTERESTED IN, LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY, IMPROVING LEISURE AND TRAVEL, HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, AND EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT.
FROM THE META-ANALYSIS CONSUMERS IDENTIFIED THESE TECHNICAL DOMAINS, AREAS WHERE THEY WANTED TO IMPROVE TECHNOLOGY. YOU CAN SEE THAT'S TRANSPORTATION AND AUTOMOBILE DRIVING, IF YOU CAN'T DRIVE YOU HAVE A DIFFICULT OR DON'T HAVE GOOD ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION THEN YOU HAVE ACCESS TO -- PROBLEMS WITH ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, ACCESS TO VOTING, TO WORK, WORSHIP. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AND WHEELCHAIRS, POWER SOURCES, RECREATION AND LEISURE, AND THEN PATIENT TRANSFER DEVICES, OR PERSONAL TRANSFER DEVICES GETTING FROM ONE SURFACE TO ANOTHER, AND SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY WHICH INCLUDES TELEHEALTH, AND THEN MOBILE APPLICATIONS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS. IT RELATES TO THE RURAL HEALTH PROBLEM AS WELL, GETTING ACCESS AND REHABILITATION IN RURAL COMMUNITIES.
SO LET ME GO INTO SOME OF OUR RESEARCH DOMAINS. WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE A TEST LABORATORY WHERE WE CAN DESTROY WHEELCHAIRS AND TECHNOLOGY, WORKING ON STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNITED STATES AND GLOBABLY. -- GLOBALLY, TO IMPROVE OVERALL QUALITY, WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE FDA, IT RESULTS IN INTERESTING PRODUCTS.
LET ME SHOW ONE THING THAT BOTHERS ME. THIS IS WHAT'S CALLED A CURB DROP TEST, A MULTI-DROP TEST, THE TWO FATIGUE TESTS USED IN WHEELCHAIR TESTING. THIS REPRESENTS THE EQUIVALENT CYCLE, THAT A CHAIR MUST PASS TO MEET FDA STANDARDS. SO, IF YOU UNDERSTAND KAPLAN-MEIER CURVES, THESE SHOULD BE STRAIGHT LINES UNTIL THEY GET PAST THAT LINE, AND START TO DECAY. WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT THESE CHAIRS ARE ON THE MARKET. THESE ARE ALREADY FDA APPROVED AND MARKETED DEVICES.
BUT ACCORDING TO OUR OWN STANDARDS THESE ARE OUR OWN STANDARDS USED BY THE FDA, NOT MY OWN STANDARDS, THEY DON'T, AND AS A MATTER OF FACT IT'S ONLY REALLY THIS ONE ULTRALIGHT ALUMINUM FRAME DESIGNS THAT BY AND LARGE COMPLY AND THE OTHER ONES BY AND LARGE ACTUALLY FAIL. WHAT'S ALSO CONCERNING ME AS AN ENGINEER, THEY FAIL FOR RATHER BENIGN REASONS, MUNDANE REASONS, LIKE HEAT EFFECTIVE IN HIGH STRESS AREA, THE WELD, OR HOLES DRILLED IN HIGH STRESS AREAS, OR MATERIALS NOT BEING ANEALED, THINGS WE LEARN IN SOPHOMORE, JUNIOR LEVEL OF ENGINEER WE N EED TO WORK ON. THIS IS THE OBLIQUE ANGLE SUSPENSION CASTOR FORK THAT ADDS SUSPENSION ELEMENTS.
MOST VIBRATION COMES THROUGH THE CASTERS BECAUSE YOU SPEND TIME GOING FORWARD, YOU CAN REDUCE SHOCK AND VIBRATION EXPOSED TO USER, INCREASE LIFE OF THE WHEELCHAIR. YEARS AGO, WHEN I WAS FIRST GETTING INTO THIS, WELL, WHEN I FIRST WORKED ON THIS AS A GRADUATE STUDENT, THIS IS THE SMART WHEEL HERE, MEASURES FORCES ON THE WHEELCHAIR. I DIDN'T HAVE ALTRUISTIC MOTIVATIONS, I WANTED TO WIN A MEDAL IN THE PARALYMPICS. WE DEVELOPED THE FIRST VERSION OF THE SMART WHEELS FOR THE RACING, AND THE 2021 PARAOLYMPIC TEAM, THOSE ARE TATIANA MCFADDEN'S HAND PRINTS ON THE WHEEL, GLOVE PRINTS, WE USED THE TEAM IN ILLINOIS TO TRAIN THEM, OPTIMIZE PROPULSION PATTERNS, IT HAD THE IMPACT ON DAILY USE. THIS IS THE -- LET ME JUST SEE. SO, THIS IS AN ULTRASOUND IMAGE OF THE MEDIAN NERVE LOOKING AXIAL DOWN THE NERVE, SOMEWHAT FLATTENED.
WE HAD PEOPLE PROPEL THE WHEELCHAIRS IN A FATIGUE TYPE COURSE, ABOUT 15 MINUTES OF FAIRLY STRENUOUS WHEELCHAIR PROPULSION AND LOOKED AT THE MEDIAN NERVE, MIKE BONINGER DID THE WORK WITH US, LOOKING AT ROTATOR CUFF INJURIES. BACK IN THE 1990s AND EARLY 2000s, 80% OF USERS DEVELOPED CARPAL TUNNEL WITHIN FIVE YEARS. MANY REPORTED THAT IT WAS AS DEVASTATING ON THEIR LIFE AS THE ORIGINAL INJURY. SO, AS A RESULT OF THAT WE DID THIS SMARTWHEEL HELPED US SEE THAT HAPPENING AND RELATE TO WHEELCHAIR PROPULSION AND SETUP. WE FOUND BODY WEIGHT WAS AN IMPORTANT PREDICTOR, TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT MAINTAINING A HEALTHY BODY WEIGHT, BECAUSE IT ALSO HARMS YOU NOT ONLY IN PROPULSION BUT TRANSFERS, THE OTHER ISSUE WAS ABOUT MOVING AXLES FORWARD TO TAKE MORE WEIGHT OFF THE FRONT CASTERS SO YOU DRIVE MORE ON THE LOWER FRICTION REAL WHEELS AND REDUCE THE FORCE, FORCE TIMES DISTANCE, INCREASE THE ANGLE OR DISTANCE, LOWER THE FORCE, PUTS LESS STRAIN ON THE UPPER EXTREMITIES.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE PATENTED AND DEVELOPED TWO TECHNOLOGIES, ERGONOMIC PUSH BROOMS. I USE THEM MYSELF TODAY. THEY TOOK A PROPULSION FROM PINCH GRIP, REDUCING STRAIN ON THE JOINTS, REDUCING AMOUNT OF GRIPPING FORCE THAT HAD TO BE APPLIED. ALSO LOST ENERGY BASICALLY. WHAT'S REALLY COOL, THEY ARE ON THE MARKET BY A COMPANY, AND THEY -- OOPS, SORRY.
AND THEY -- NOW WE SEE THE RATES OF CARPAL TUNNEL AND ROTATOR CUFF INJURIES BECAUSE OF BETTER SETUP AND DESIGN, IS ABOUT 20%. PROBABLY WON'T GET MUCH LOWER WITH CHANGES IN THE WHEELCHAIR BECAUSE THERE'S OTHER ACTIVITIES SUCH AS TRANSFERS AND OTHER -- A LOT OF USE OF UPPER EXTREMITIES, AND THOSE ARE THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON AS WELL. THOSE PATENTS ARE SET TO EXPIRE, BUT THERE ARE NOW KNOCKOFF OR REPLICA PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET WHICH TO ME SHOWS WE WERE ON THE RIGHT TRACK BECAUSE ONCE THE PATENT EXPIRES, IT COMES ON THE MARKET, IT SHOWS YOU WERE WORKING ON SOMETHING OF VALUE. MEYER KAPLAN SURVIVOR CAP ANALYSIS, THE OTHER THING IS ROAD SHOCK AND VIBRATION. WHEELCHAIR USERS EXPERIENCE THE SAME LEVEL OF RIDE CHOCK AND VIBRATION AS HELICOPTER PILOTS AND LONG HAUL TRUCKERS. AND SO DR. GILMAN KNOWS
HELICOPTER PILOTS HAVE BACK AND NECK PROBLEMS, BECAUSE OF SHOCK AND VIBRATION EXPOSURE. TURNS OUT SO DO WHEELCHAIR USERS. SO DR. KOONTZ ON OUR TEAM IS LOOKING AT IN-WHEEL SUSPENSION SYSTEMS. THESE ARE THREE DIFFERENT TYPES, KIND OF LIKE THE SPAGHETTI SPOKE DESIGN WHAT I'M USING ON MY CHAIR ACTUALLY. A SOFT SPOKE THAT ALLOWS FOR SOME SUSPENSION.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONES, IT'S BASICALLY THREE SHOCK ABSORBERS PLACED IN THE SPOKES, THE OTHER THIRD DESIGN IS THREE PROSTHETIC FOOT BLADES. THIS RESEARCH IS ONGOING BUT SHOWS -- INDICATES BY WHEN YOU HAVE ROUGH TERRAIN OR DROPPING OFF CURBS IT DOES HELP REDUCE SHOCK AND VIBRATION. I TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ERGONOMICS WITH THE SMARTWHEEL. THE V.A. AND A NUMBER OF EUROPEAN COMPANIES PROVIDE -- SO DOES TRICARE, PROVIDE HAND CYCLES OF A MEANS OF EXERCISE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, LOWER EXTREMITY DISABILITIES. BUT NOW AS A NUMBER OF HAND CYCLE USERS HAVE GROWN, CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME HAS COME BACK.
NOT SO MUCH ROTATOR CUFF INJURIES, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, BECAUSE OF THE PUSHING/PULLING MOTION IT'S BETTER FOR MUSCLE BALANCE. WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO USE HAND CYCLINGS AS A MEANS OF EXERCISE BUT THERE'S CONCERN ABOUT INCREASE IN CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME AGAIN. IT TURNS OUT WE WORKED WITH SEVERAL UNIVERSITIES IN EUROPE, PRIMARILY UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM, ALSO A UNIVERSITY IN THE U.K. TO LOOK AT THE OPTIMAL
ANGLE FOR THE GRIP, HOW DO YOU REDUCE AMOUNT OF GRIP REQUIRED, THAT'S WHAT THIS DOES, ALSO HOW DO YOU IMPROVE GRIP SO YOU GET LESS GRIPPING FORCES REQUIRED WHILE HAND CYCLING, THAT RESULTED IN THIS -- THESE ERGONOMICS. WE'RE STILL DOING RESEARCH BUT STUDIES SHOW IT'S A PRETTY EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR REDUCING THE STRAINS ON THE HAND AND WRIST. I MENTIONED TRANSFERS IS IMPORTANT. THIS IS SOME OF DR. KOONZ'S WORK, USING GAMING TECHNOLOGY.
SO THE MICROSOFT CONNECT TECHNOLOGY. IN ORDER TO EXTEND TRANSFER TRAINING INTO THE HOME, SHE'S NOW DOING TRAINING, PEER TO PEER TRAINING AS WELL, IF I'M GOOD AT TRANSFERRING IN THE CAR I CAN SHARE THAT KNOWLEDGE WITH SOMEBODY ELSE TO HELP LEARN HOW TO TRANSFER IN THE CAR AS WELL. AND SO IT'S REALLY NICE BECAUSE IT'S AN INEXPENSIVE SYSTEM, SOFTWARE IS READILY AVAILABLE, AND IT'S REALLY JUST A SIMPLE APP THAT PEOPLE CAN DOWNLOAD AND YOU CAN DO PEER-TO-PEER SHARING, YOU CAN DO EDUCATION, YOU CAN DO CLINICIAN-TO-CUSTOMER TRAINING AS WELL. SO, I'M GOING TO SHIFT GEARS NOW TO ANOTHER REAL COMMON PROBLEM AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH LOWER EXTREMITY PARALYSIS PRESSURE INJURIES. THEY COULD BE LIFE-THREATENING, ESPECIALLY IN LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME ACCESS TO CARE. WE'VE BEEN -- ONE OF THE PROBLEMS, WE DO A GREAT JOB IN THE CLINTON ISSUE TEACHING IMPORTANCE OF PREVENTION OF INJURIES BUT DON'T DO A GOOD JOB TEACHING HOW TO PREVENT PRESSURE INJURIES.
A GOOD FRIEND USED TO WORK HERE AT NIH, DAVID GRAY, AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE FACE IS RESEARCHers, WHEN YOU WORK IN THE LAB YOU LEARN WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO. BUT WHAT YOU DON'T LEARN IS WHAT PEOPLE DO DO. AND THAT WAS HIS CAN-DO/DO-DO THEORY, BY THE WAY. SO THE IDEA IS IF WE CAN PROVIDE SENSORS UNDER THE SEAT OF THE WHEELCHAIR, THEN WE CAN -- THAT'S WHAT WE DID. WE CAN MEASURE WHAT THEY DO DO, WHAT TYPE OF -- DO THEY DO PRESSURE RELEASE, DO THEY LEAN FORWARD, LEAN LEFT, DO THEY LEAN RIGHT, DO THEY SLOUCH AS A WAY OF PRESSURE RELIEF? WE DON'T ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO PUSH-UPS ANYMORE, BECAUSE OF THE STRAIN ON WRIST, ELBOW AND SHOULDERS, IT'S HARD TO MAINTAIN THAT LONG ENOUGH TO BE EFFECTIVE PRESSURE RELIEF. THE IDEA IS TO COACH PEOPLE.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE DEVELOPED THIS TECHNOLOGY. WE'VE TESTED OVER 40 PEOPLE, WE WERE ABLE TO SEE -- DETERMINE USING MACHINE LEARNING WHETHER THEY WERE DOING THE LEFT LEAN, RIGHT LEAN, FORWARD LEAN. IT'S PRETTY HARD TO DETERMINE BACKWARD LEAN BUT WE CAN DO THAT BY LOOKING NOT ONLY AT CENTER OF PRESSURE BUT THE TOTAL WEIGHT ON THE SEAT.
INTERESTING ADVANTAGE, THE WHEELCHAIR BECOMES A SCALE SO YOU CAN MEASURE BODY WEIGHT AS WELL. SO PEOPLE CAN HELP MAINTAIN BODY WEIGHT. NOW THE TRICKY PART, GET PEOPLE TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR. THE VIRTUAL SEATING COACH WAS DEVELOPED BASICALLY IN ORDER TO MEET THE CLINICAL NEED WE HAD IDENTIFIED OF PEOPLE GETTING POWER WHEELCHAIRS WITH POWER SEAT FUNCTIONS BUT THEIR CONDITION NOT IMPROVING.
AND SO WE DID A SERIES OF EXPERIMENTS TO IDENTIFY THE PEOPLE WOULD USE POWER SEAT FUNCTIONS AND NOT NECESSARILY AS INSTRUCTED. THE IDEA CAN THE VIRTUAL SEATING COACH TO USE ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY, FIRST ONBOARD COMPUTING, LATER WITH SMARTPHONE TECHNOLOGY, TO PROVIDE THAT COACHING IN REAL TIME, CONTEXTUALLY AWARE ALL THE TIME, AVAILABLE TO THE USER, AND PROVIDE THAT DATA TO THE CLOUD, SO ALGORITHMS COULD BE IMPROVED BASED ON WHAT WAS LEARNED AS WELL AS SHARE THE DATA WITH CLINICIANS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THEIR CLINICAL PRACTICE, EVENTUALLY IMPROVE CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES. ULTIMATELY THE GOAL IS THAT WE USE THE TECHNOLOGY INTERACTING WITH THE USER TO HELP THE USER GET THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT FROM THE TECHNOLOGY THEY ARE USING. >>SO, THE SAD THING ABOUT THAT IS IT WOUND UP ON 50,000 PEOPLE'S CHAIRS, IT WAS GIVEN OUT FREE, THROUGH THE MANUFACTURERS, WE WORKED OUT WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO DO THIS. BUT WE MISJUDGED HOW SERVICES ARE PROVIDED. UNFORTUNATELY, THE THERAPIST AND THE REHAB TECHNOLOGY SUPPLIERS WOULDN'T SET UP THE -- WOULD ONLY SET UP THE COACH FOR A SMALL FRACTION OF THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY HAD IT, EVEN WHEN INSTALLED FREE ON THEIR CHAIR.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THE PEOPLE THAT GOT IT, IT REDUCED THEIR -- INCREASED COMPLIANCE BY FOUR-FOLD. WHICH SHOULD REDUCE INCIDENCE OF PRESSURE ULCERS FOUR-FOLD. THE BAD NEWS, NOT AS MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY GOT THE SYSTEM SET UP FOR THEM, AS WE HOPED TO.
SO WE ARE TAKING A NEW TACK NOW. WE'RE TAKING THE CLINICIAN AND SUPPLIER OUT OF IT AND DOING EDUCATION DIRECTLY TO THE END USER SO THEY CAN SET UP THE APP THEMSELVES WHICH I THINK THAT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE MORE OF A TREND IN REMOTE HEALTH CARE OR TELEMEDICINE IN THE FUTURE, WHERE WE HAVE TO EDUCATE END USERS TO BE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THEIR OWN CARE AND EVEN MAYBE ACTIVE MANAGERS OF THEIR OWN CARE. PARTIALLY, I THINK THAT'S DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CLINICIANS JUST ARE SO PUSHED FOR TIME NOW, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THEY GET TO SPEND WITH INDIVIDUAL CLIENTS. ON THE OTHER HAND I THINK SOME PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT THE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE AND COACHING WE CAN DO IS JUST NOT GOING TO BE SUFFICIENT. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE ACTIVE CUSHION TECHNOLOGY AS WELL. THIS PROJECT WE HAD WITH UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS APPLIED RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THIS WAS AN INSTRUMENTED BUTTOCKS SYSTEM FOR HELICOPTER PILOTS, WOUND UP USING WHEELCHAIR CUSHION TESTING AS WELL.
THIS IS AN AIR BLADDER -- GO BACK. THIS IS AN AIR BLADDER CUSHION, AND THEN EACH ONE OF THOSE CELLS CAN BE CONTROLLED BY A VALVE AND PUMPED, MOVE AIR INTO IT, ADDS INTERNAL MICROELECTRONIC MACHINED PRESSURE SENSORS, AND THEN THAT'S THE INTERNAL PRESSURING MAP. THIS IS THE STANDARD OFF THE SHELF PRESSURE MAPPING SYSTEM. THEY ARE NOTORIOUSLY NOT VERY ACCURATE BUT I THINK OUR DATA'S MUCH BETTER REPRESENTATION AND MUCH MORE ACCURATE, PRESSURE SENSORS FOR ENGINEERS IN THE ROOM, THOSE ARE QUITE ACCURATE, CONVENIENCE FOR CONTROL.
AND THEN THIS IS WHAT WE DID, WE TESTED, THIS IS JUST THE CUSHION INFLATED, PEOPLE SIT ON IT, THAT'S WHAT THEIR PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION LOOKS LIKE. THAT'S OBVIOUS, TUBEROSITY. STANDARD, PASSIVE CUSHIONS, WE WOULD OFFLOAD TUBEROSITY, THIS IS AN OFFLOADING ALGORITHM, DETECT THE ISSUE OF TUBEROSITY. THIS IS TRANSFERRING THE PRESSURE TO THE SURROUNDING SURFACES. WITH THAT THERE COULD BE A BETTER WAY, THE GOAL IS HOW DO YOU MINIMIZE -- MAXIMIZE THE DB MAXIMIZE DISTRIBUTION OF PRESSURE ACROSS THE SEATING SURFACE WHILE MINIMIZING PRESSURE ON THE ISSUE OF TUBEROSITY. SO THAT'S WHAT WE CALL THE REDISTRIBUTED ALGORITHM.
YOU GET RID OF RED AND YELLOW HIGH PRESSURE AREAS. OF THE -- THE ACTIVE PART, AS YOU MOVE IT WILL REDISTRIBUTE S YOU MOVE. OTHER ACTIVE CUSHIONS TEND TO GO THROUGH SOME SORT OF CYCLE OF APPLIED PRESSURE IN SEGMENTS OF THE CUSHION. THIS IS ACTIVELY LOOKING AT YOUR PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION BASED ON YOUR BODY AUTONOMICS AND WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION, TRYING TO REDISTRIBUTE TO MAXIMIZE PRESSURE OVER THE ENTIRE SURFACE, NO MATTER WHAT POSITION YOU'RE IN. SO WE'RE HOPING TO DO A CLINICAL TRIAL FAIRLY SOON TO GET -- HOW THIS ACTUALLY WORKS. I'M HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING -- SO, I TOLD YOU ABOUT MY ACCIDENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS -- MY WIFE IS A PHYSICAL THERAPIST AND RESEARCHER AT UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH. YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS SITTING IN YOUR WHEELCHAIR. IT'S A GREAT QUESTION CLINICIANS HAVE TO ASK PEOPLE. BECAUSE THEY GET PRESSURE ULCERS, BECAUSE THEY SIT IN THE CAR FOR A LONG TIME WITHOUT SITTING ON THE CUSHION, THEY SAT ON THE FLOOR.
PEOPLE SAY I WAS INSTALLING FLOORBOARDS IN MY HOUSE, SPENT HOURS ON A HARD FLOOR. NOT REALIZING THEY ARE NOT PROTECTED BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT IN THE WHEELCHAIR, IT'S YOUR BODY WE'RE PROTECTING. THEY DEVELOPED THESE ON THE MOVE PADS, AND SO IT'S A SIMPLE PAD, ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED, FORGOT TO INCLUDE A PICTURE, A WRAPPER ON A TOILET SEAT. YOU CAN TRAVEL WITH IT AS WELL. IT FITS IN THE BACKPACK, IF YOU GO SHOPPING, GO TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE, STAYING AT A HOTEL, YOU WRAP THIS AROUND THE SEAT TO HAVE A PADDED TOILET SEAT. ROSIE BROUGHT ONE WITH HER, IT'S A LITTLE SHOW-AND-TELL.
IT'S INTERESTING, THIS TECHNOLOGY WAS SO POPULAR IT GOT LICENSED REALLY QUICKLY. IT'S REALLY VERY INTERESTING, ONCE IT GOT IN THE WILD, WHAT DID PEOPLE DO WITH IT? THEY USED IT FOR LIKE HAND CYCLING, NOT ONLY TOILET SEATS, HAND CYCLE HEAD REST, THIS IS THE CONSOLE BETWEEN THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEAT IN A CAR. IN YOU WERE IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT YOU COULD PAD -- YOU HAVE A PAD ON THE WAY, OR YOU'VE HAD CLIENTS COME IN, YOU'VE SEEN THIS IN THE CLINIC, THEY WRAP LIKE A DISH TOWEL OR POT HOLDER AROUND THE CUSHION BECAUSE OF PRESSURE SORES ON THE ELBOW, USING THEM FOR ARM RESTS. IT'S PRETTY REMARKABLE. A LITTLE LOW COST DEVICE, ROSIE CAN PASS IT AROUND. AND IT'S MADE TO COMPLY TO UNUSUAL SURFACES.
YOU CAN WASH IT. IT'S PRETTY AMAZING. THIS IS DR. DUSIANO'S WORK, ACL,
BRING BACK THE REGIONAL GRANTS FOR SUPPORTING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, WE HAD A GRANT FOR PENNSYLVANIA. WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND EDUCATION TO ALL THESE REGIONAL SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. AND THEN CONNECT THEM WITH RESOURCES. AND SO THIS IS THE APP WE DEVELOPED OUT OF THAT.
WHAT'S NICE, WE COULD GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY TO SUPPORT THEIR OWN STAFF TO PARTICIPATE, WHICH IS OFTEN A PROBLEM WHEN YOU TRY TO CHANGE COMMUNITY HEALTH, THAT NOBODY HAS TIME. IF YOU COULD BUY A LITTLE BIT OF A PERSON'S TIME. WHAT WAS IMPORTANT THAT CAME OUT OF THE NEXT SLIDE WAS PROVIDING CAREGIVER SUPPORT. THESE ARE FAMILY CAREGIVERS, OR NON-HEALTH CARE PROVIDER CAREGIVERS.
MILITARY NON-MEDICAL ATTENDANTS, THEY COULD CONNECT AND EDUCATE AND CONSUMERS COULD SHARE HOW THEY COULD TRAIN. THIS WAS IMPORTANT IN THE PANDEMIC WHEN SOME PEOPLE -- PEOPLE ON MY STAFF HAD TO MOVE BACK HOME WITH THEIR PARENTS BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET ASSISTANCE. THEN ALSO THEY COULD AT LEAST -- ASSISTANTS COULD COORDINATE, SOMEBODY ELSE CAME DOWN WITH COVID, THEY COULD HELP ANOTHER PERSON FOR A WHILE AND NETWORK AND CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER. AND THEN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WELL-BEING AND TRAINING FOR THEM AS WELL. YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE THIS PROJECT.
WE WORKED ON THE WOUNDED WARRIOR HOME PROJECT WITH CLARK REALTY AND MICHAEL GRAVES. IF YOU DON'T KNOW MICHAEL GRAVES, THE ARCHITECT LAUREATE FOR THE UNITED STATES FOR A WHILE, ALSO HAD A SPINAL CORD INJURY, A REMARKABLE GUY. MOST PEOPLE KNOW HIM, HE DEVELOPED A LOT OF THE HOME AND KITCHEN GOODS FOR TARGET, THERE'S A MICHAEL GRAVES LINE, UNFORTUNATELY HE PASSED AWAY A FEW YEARS AGO, IT WAS FUN WORKING WITH HIM. AND WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY BUILD TWO HOMES, AND I'LL USE THE GERMAN WORD.
[SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE] THAT'S THE GARDEN TO GROW VEGETABLES, THINGS LIKE THAT. THE DoD GAVE US THE REQUIREMENT THAT THEY BE FULLY ACCESSIBLE SMART HOMES, AND COST NO MORE THAN TRADITIONAL MILITARY HOUSING AND BE ABLE TO BE RENTED FOR THE SAME BAQ, BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR QUARTERS. THAT'S KIND OF TRICKY BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BASICALLY DESIGN A HOME, BUILD IT OUT WITH MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE GOING TO FIT WITHIN THOSE CONSTRAINTS.
WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT, BUILD TWO HOMES. THE FUN THING ABOUT THIS, IF YOU KNOW, I WAS IN THE ARMY. SERVICE RIVALRY HERE, THERE HAD TO BE A MARINE CORPS HOME, AN ARMY HOME.
ARMY HOME IS A LITTLE NICER. [LAUGHTER] BUT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT DESIGNS, BUT WE HAD MULTIPLE POINTS OF INGRESS AND EGRESS. ONE OF THE FUN THINGS IF YOU HELD YOUR I.D. CARD TO THE DOOR, THERE WAS A READER, LIKE YOUR PIV CARDS, THERE'S AN RFD READER, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, INVENTED BY A COLLEAGUE. THE READER KNOW WHO IS YOU ARE, IT'S YOUR I.D., YOU CAN OPEN THE DOOR WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO USE AS HOME SECURITY TECHNOLOGY TO DO THAT.
LARGER HALLWAYS, A LOT OF USE OF LUXURY VINYL TILE WHICH YOU COULD WALK ON PRETTY WELL, YOU CAN ROLL ON PRETTY WELL, IT'S DURABLE. BUT THE MILITARY HAD SOME FUN THINGS. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE GARAGE WE HAD A LARGER GARAGE WITH THE STORAGE ROOM IN THE GARAGE. GENERAL GILMAN KNOWS WHY WE HAD THAT DONE.
YOU MOVED EVERY FEW YEARS IN THE MILITARY, HAVE YOU TO STORE THE BOXES FOR EVERYTHING. SO YOU COULD PACK AGAIN IN A FEW YEARS AND MOVE THEM AGAIN. THAT WAS ONE THINGS THE MILITARY NEEDED, A STORE ROOM. THEN WE HAD A -- BUILT A LITTLE CLOSET ROOM FOR CHARGING THE POWER WHEELCHAIR AND PROS THEY -- PROSTHETIC LIMBS, AN AREA WHERE THEY COULD DON AND DOFF UPPER EXTREMITY PRODUCTS, WHICH WORKED OUT JUST AS WELL FOR BODY ARMOR, SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO -- COULD DO THE PICKUP AND TWISTING WITH BODY ARMOR, KIND OF AN INTERESTING THING. A LOT OF THINGS WITH NATURAL LIGHT, FULL SPECTRUM LIGHTING.
WINDOWS WHERE YOU COULD CRANK THEM FROM SITTING HEIGHT. IT WAS KIND OF FUN IN THE STUDY. SOMETHING YOU DON'T NORMALLY HEAR IN RESEARCH, WE WERE DOING WORK ON OUR OWN HOME DESIGN, WE WERE THE GUINEA PIGS, PAID FOR IT AND TRIED THINGS OUT. HEY, THIS MIGHT WORK FOR THIS HOME. AND THEN SOME OF THAT GOT INTEGRATED INTO THE HOME.
WE SORT OF UNDERWROTE THE STUDY A LITTLE BIT WHEN WE WERE MODELING OUR OWN HOUSE. WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH THE REMOTE I MENTIONED WEIGHT IS ANOTHER KEY THING. THIS IS OUR BED SCALE TECHNOLOGY, FUNDED THROUGH AN NIH SBIR. I LIKE THIS PICTURE BECAUSE IT SHOWS HERL'S CAPABILITY TO BUILD LARGE NUMBERS OF UNITS AND VERY HIGH QUALITY FOR SUPPORTING CLINICAL TRIALS WHICH IS LARGELY WHY WE GOT STARTED WITH OUR LARGE ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING TEAM. AND IT'S ALSO INTERESTING, YOU COULD LOOK AT SLEEP QUALITY WHILE PEOPLE ROLL OVER, THINGS LIKE THAT, HOW MUCH THEY GET IN AND OUT OF BED AT NIGHT AS WELL. >>EVEN IN THE KITCHEN, WHERE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS PREPARING MEALS CAN BE A REAL CHALLENGE.
>>THIS IS DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER'S AND BRAIN INJURY. >>THIS IS THE QUEUING KITCHEN WITH STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONs COOKING THINGS LIKE PASTA. >>THE PROGRAM WILL GIVE ME THE FIRST INSTRUCTION ON GETTING STARTED MAKING PASTA.
>>TAKE OUT COOKING POT FROM THE LIGHTED CABINET. ♪ TAKE OUT PASTA FROM THE TRANSPARENT CABINET. FILL THE COOKING POT WITH WATER FROM THE WATER FAUCET. TURN THE FAUCET OFF. PLACE COOKING POT ON THE STOVE. TURN ON THE STOVE.
>>THIS PROGRAM IS IDEAL FOR SOMEONE WITH COGNITIVE OR MEMORY LOSS PROBLEMS. FOR THOSE WHO NEED MORE HELP, THERE'S THIS FUTURISTIC DEVICE CALLED THE KITCHEN BOT, IT CAN TURN A FAUCET ON AND OFF, OPEN CABINETS AND DRAWERS, OPERATE APPLIANCES. IT'S A SOPHISTICATED INSTRUMENT THAT MOVES UP, DOWN, AND SIDEWAYS. AND CAN BE PROGRAMMED FOR SPECIFIC OR GROUP OF FUNCTIONS. >>WE ALSO DO -- YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE LIGHTED HANDLES, CAN FLASH THEM, CAN CHANGE COLORS. WE CAN USE THE SUSPENDED PARTICLE GLASS, TURN THE GLASS FROM MILKY TO CLEAR SO PEOPLE CAN SEE WHERE ITEMS ARE.
WE USE THE KINECT SYSTEM, WE KNOW WHERE THE PERSON IS, IDLING IN SPACE, THEY ARE NOT WHERE THEY ARE. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS WE HAVE RFID READERS, BARCODE READERS SO WE CAN TELL YOU WHAT ITEMS YOU'VE GOT, THE RIGHT ITEM, THE RIGHT AMOUNT. SOME CHALLENGES IS LIKE HOW DO YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN APPLE AND AN ORANGE. THERE'S NO LABEL ON IT. OR, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT -- RED GRAPE AND GREEN GRAPE, THOSE ARE PRETTY DIFFICULT REAL WORLD IMAGING CHALLENGES.
ALSO WORKING ON NOW CAREGIVER ASSISTED TRANSFER, HOW BEST TO DO TRANSFERS FOR INDIVIDUALS. AND I'LL DO THAT, FIRST RIGHT NOW WE'RE STUDYING THOSE TECHNIQUES BUT WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON TECHNOLOGIES TO ASSIST. LET ME SHOW YOU SOME OF THOSE. SO THIS IS OUR STRONG ARM, THAT'S MARK GREENHALL, CAPTAIN GREENHALL'S SON. IT'S A ROBOTIC ARM.
WE WERE THE FIRST ONES, NSF ORIGINALLY FUNDED THIS, AND ONE OF THEIR CONCERNS WAS WOULD WE EVER GET IRB APPROVAL TO HAVE A ROBOT THAT CAN LIFT 250 POUNDS WORK IN CLOSE PROXIMITY, ACTUALLY TOUCHING A PERSON. WE ACTUALLY GOT THE FIRST IRB APPROVAL FOR THAT. PITTSBURGH IS PRETTY FAMOUS FOR BEING -- LETTING YOU TAKE RISKS, IRB LETTING PEOPLE TAKE RISKS, OBVIOUSLY CALCULATED RISKS. THE WHEELCHAIR CAN GO TO THE LEFT, RIGHT, PARK IN THE BACK AND NOT BE IN THE WAY, LIFT 250 POUNDS. THE CAREGIVER DOESN'T HAVE TO DO LIFTING.
THE ROBOT DOES THE LIFTING, MOVING FROM ONE SURFACE TO ANOTHER. YOU STILL HAVE TO GET THE SLING UNDER THE PERSON, WORKING ON INCORPORATING THE CUSHION IN THE BACK REST INTO THE SLING, SO YOU CAN DO THAT AS WELL. BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'VE GOT. SEVERAL PROJECTS WE'RE WORKING ON NOW, I'M EVEN MORE EXCITED ABOUT. WE TOOK A HOSPITAL BED AND MODIFIED IT TO BE A ROBOTIC BED.
WE TOOK A POWER WHEELCHAIR, MODIFIED IT SO THE TWO CAN TALK TOGETHER TO DO NO-LIFT TRANSFERS. YOU CAN SEE THIS IS ONE OF OUR GRADUATE STUDENTS WHO USES A POWER WHEELCHAIR, JESSICA, WITH AN ENGINEER, JOSH BROWN, AND SO THE WHEELCHAIR WORKS IN CONCERT WITH THE CHAIR, WITH THE BED, TO POUR THE PERSON INTO BED. SO THE BACK REST GOT OUT OF THE WAY, THE BED ACTS AS THE BED REST DURING THE TRANSFER. TO PROTECT PEOPLE'S HEELS DURING TRANSFER, EVEN THOUGH IT'S TEFLON COATED SURFACE, HE'S DOING IT WITH THAT TABLET. WE HAVE THE TABLET HARD WIRED. WE CAN DO IT WITH A PHONE AND WIRELESS CONNECTION.
BUT WE DON'T WANT THAT CONNECTION TO BE BROKEN IDEALLY. IT GIVES, IF TETHERED, YOU KNOW WHERE IT'S GROWING TO BE RATHER THAN WALKING AWAY. AND THEN THERE'S A CONVEYOR ON THE BELT, THAT CONVEYOR -- THAT'S ANOTHER COUPLE OF ADVANTAGES, THE PERSON CAN REPOSITION THEMSELVES IN BED. THEY SIT UP AND CRUNCH DOWN AT THE END OF THE BED, CAN USE THAT TO STRETCH BACK OUT AGAIN.
IT HAS ALL THE BED FUNCTIONS, YOU CAN RAISE AND LOWER THE BED, RAISE THE FEET, RAISE THE HEAD. SO YOU CAN MAINTAIN ALL OF THOSE FUNCTIONS. WE ALSO ARE MEASURING THE CURRENT IN THE ACTUATOR TO GET A DECENT ESTIMATE OF THE PERSON'S BODY WEIGHT AS WELL, THAT ALLOWS US TO LOOK IF PEOPLE ARE MOVING UP AND DOWN. BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS -- WE'RE CONTROLLING THE TRANSFERS, WE DID SOME STUDIES OF LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES, MANDATED TO GT PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF BED EVERY DAY, YOU WOULD KNOW.
IT'S FASTER, IT TAKES ONE PERSON, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET, YOU KNOW, AN OVERHEAD LIFT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT HAS A 600-POUNDS CAPACITY. I MENTIONED TRANSPORTATION IS A PRIORITY. WE'VE BEEN DOING WORK WITH DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
WE DID A SURVEY, NEED FOR SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN PEOPLE GET MOBILITY PERMIT, THEY STOP DRIVING, REDUCE ACTIVITY. THE SECOND MOST COMMON, THE MOST COMMON SOLUTION IS TO ASK OTHER PEOPLE FOR A RIDE. THAT PRESENTS SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES. ESPECIALLY IN RURAL AND SUBURBAN ENVIRONMENTS WHERE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS NOT READILY AVAILABLE.
THERE ARE SOME NEW -- WHAT'S GREAT, THERE ARE SOME MAINSTREAM TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE NOW, OTHERS COMING OUT THAT CAN IMPROVE TRANSPORTATION, MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO DRIVE OR DRIVE LONGER, OLDER ADULTS TO DRIVE LONGER AND DRIVE SAFER. AND WE'RE WORKING ON NEW UNIVERSAL DOCKING SYSTEMS AND AS NEW ELECTRIC VEHICLES COME OUT THEY HAVE BATTERIES IN THE CHASSIS, AND SO YOU CAN'T REALLY DROP THE FLOOR LIKE CURRENTLY DONE, LOOKING AT NEW DESIGNS, MODIFYING VEHICLES AND MODIFYING WHEELCHAIRS SO THAT THESE VEHICLES WILL BE ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE FOR USE IN THE FUTURE. I THINK -- OTHER FUN THINGS WE FOUND OUT, HOW DO WE EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT HOW TO DO THIS? WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR FRIENDS ACROSS THE STREET AT CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA HERE, ON DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL BOARD GAME TO TEACH OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS AND TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERS AND MAYBE CITY PLANNERS HOW TO DEVELOP TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS, SO THAT THEY LEARN ABOUT BARRIERS FACED BY PEOPLE, OLDER ADULTS IN TRANSPORTATION. I THINK I'LL SKIP THIS.
♪ MY RESEARCH PROJECT IS FOCUS ON PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND USING INTERFACE OF THE ASSISTIVE ROBOTIC ARM. THE ROBOTIC ARM CAN BE MOUNTED ON THE WHEELCHAIRS AND THAT CAN ASSIST WHEELCHAIR USERS OR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO DO SOME DAILY TASKS, USING THE CONTROL INTERFACE. THE REASON WE DEVELOPED THE INTERFACE IS THAT WE HAVE TESTS WITH CURRENT ROBOTIC ORIGINAL INTERFACES, AND A LOT OF USERS HAVE DIFFICULTY LEARNING THOSE EITHER SOME -- MEMORIZE THE KEYS OR MEMORIZE THE COMMAND OR COMBINATION OF DIFFERENT KEY STROKES.
♪ SO THE INTERFACE, WE DEVELOPED KIND OF -- REDUCED FRUSTRATION SO THEY CAN QUICKLY LEARN HOW TO CONTROL THE ROBOT AND DO THE TASK WITHIN TEN MINUTES. THERE WAS ONE BATTERY. LOOK AT THE ROBOT, AND HE'S SO -- HE WAS SO EXCITED. HE POINTED TO THE ROBOT, SAYING TO THE CAREGIVER, THAT'S WHAT I WANT.
>>WE'RE WORKING ON ROBOTS FOR ALLOWING PEOPLE TO WORK IN THE WORKPLACE, UP AND DOWN, SWIVEL, ALLOW PEOPLE TO WORK IN FULFILLMENT CENTERS. IT'S PRETTY EXCITING. WE DEVELOPED THESE, DID A STUDY, THERE'S OVER 500 USED NOW ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AT VARIOUS FULFILLMENT CENTERS. WHEN YOU ORDER A PACKAGE ONLINE, YOU MIGHT BE USING OUR TECHNOLOGY. THIS IS OUR ME-BOT THAT CAN CLIMB 8 INCHES.
THIS IS DR. KIM, A FORMER GRADUATE STUDENT, NOW A PROFESSOR CLIMB AN 8-INCH CURB, GO AT HIGH LEVEL, ALSO IF I SHOW YOU THE NEXT SLIDE, SINCE I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME, IT WILL GO DOWN. I WONDER IF I CAN -- A COMMON PROBLEM, THEY ARE GOING DOWN THE SIDEWALK, SOMEBODY WALKS IN FRONT OF THEM, TWO WHEELS ON THE CURB AND TWO WHEELS ON THE STREET, TIP OVER AND GO TO THE HOSPITAL. OR THEY GO OVER UNEVEN TERRAIN.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT. THE SAME CHAIR TO CLIMB CURBS, USE THE SAME FEATURE TO SELF LEVEL. LOWER PICTURE, JESSICA RIDING OVER UNEVEN TERRAIN, UNEVEN SIDEWALKS, BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN POSITION. WE CAN DO 8 INCHES.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OLDER VERSION. WE HAVE A NEWER VERSION USING ACTUATORS, FORE/AFT AS WELL. PEOPLE SAY IT'S LIKE RIDING ON A MAGIC CARPET. WE'RE WORKING ON ALTERNATIVE POWER SOURCES, TALKED AT LUNCH TODAY ABOUT SUPER CAPACITORS AND OTHERS TYPES OF BATTERIES. ♪ >>BEING IN A POWER WHEELCHAIR MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT, THEY RUN ON ELECTRICITY, CONTACT WITH WATER CAN BE SHOCKING.
HOW DO YOU BUILD A WATER PARK THAT KIDS CAN ENJOY? GORDON RUNS THE FIRST ACCESSIBLE THEME PARK IN SAN ANTONIO. >>WE HAD TO COME UP WITH A WHEELCHAIR THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR IT TO GET WET AND STILL MOVE ABOUT THROUGH USE OF SOMEONE'S ABILITY TO USE A JOY STICK. >>HE DISCOVERED THE WORK OF DR. RORY COOPER, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF HEALTH, RENOWNED FOR PATENTS FOR INDEPENDENCE. >>THAT'S THE KIND OF EXPERIENCES WE WANT KIDS TO HAVE SO THEY GROW UP AND DON'T HAVE THOSE PRODUCTS. >>BRANDON, A GRADUATE STUDENT AT PITT SCHOOL, IS A RESEARCH STUDYING UNDER RORY COOPER.
TEAM WORKS OUT OF HUMAN ENGINEERINGS LABORATORIES, MODELED AND BUILT THE NEW CHAIR, MAKES A CHALLENGING TRIP TO THE WATER PARK, WELL, FUN. >>I LIKE TO HAVE THE FREEDOM TO RUN AROUND. >>IT'S REWARDING TO SEE HOW HE LIT UP AND THE ENJOYMENT HE GOT OUT OF GOING THROUGH THE SPRINKLERS AND THE WATER.
>>HE WANTS TO BE INDEPENDENT. FRANKLY WE LET HIM GO FOR 30 MINUTES BY HIMSELF, AND THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS. >>SO I'M GOING TO MOVE ON. HAPPY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE AND HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS.
[APPLAUSE] >>ANYONE HERE IS FREE TO USE THE MICROPHONES. THERE'S SEVERAL QUESTIONS ONLINE. I'LL TRY TO COMBINE THEM, THERE'S SEVERAL THEMES. ONE THEME IS YOU HAVE A PLETHORA OF USEFUL IDEAS.
CAN YOU SPEAK ABOUT HOW YOUR LAB WORKS, HOW ARE THESE IDEAS GENERATED, HOW THE PROJECTS ORIGINATED AND TESTED, YOU GAVE A HINT ABOUT THAT, THEY ARE NOT ORIGINATING FROM YOU, I THINK YOU GET PEOPLE ASKING YOU TO DO SOMETHING. >>RIGHT. OUR IDEAS ARE GENERATED BY ENDS USERS AND CLINICIANS. AND WE DO THAT BY SURVEYING THEM AND DOING FOCUS GROUPS. WE ALSO WILL TAKE UNSOLICITED IDEAS, AND THEN CLINICIANS SEE CHALLENGES PEOPLE FACE. I CALL IT THE AREA UNDER THE IMPACT CURVE METHOD, FOR SELECTING WHICH PROJECTS WE WILL FOCUS ON WORKING ON.
WHAT I MEAN IS IF THERE'S A LARGE -- IS A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH A SMALL IMPACT ON THEIR LIFE, THAT AREA CAN BE FAIRLY LARGE, OR A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT THE IMPACT MIGHT NOT BE AS GREAT, THAT AREA UNDER THE CURVE IS ALSO LARGE. THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF PROJECTS WE WOULD LOOK AT. >>A QUESTION ABOUT YOUR LAB, PERSONNEL AT YOUR STAFF.
CAN YOU DISCUSS THE SIZE OF YOUR LAB, HOW DO YOU ACTIVELY RECRUIT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES OR DO THEY FIND YOU? WE AT THE NHR ARE EAGER TO IMPROVE DIVERSITY OF STAFF, WHAT TIPS DO YOU HAVE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN? >>GREAT QUESTION. THERE ARE ABOUT 70 PEOPLE IN OUR LAB. WE'RE ABOUT 28,000 SQUARE FEET. LOOKING TO GROW TO 35,000 SQUARE FEET. AND WE STARTED RECRUITING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 30 YEARS AGO. I GUESS THERE'S A COUNTRY SONG, I WAS COUNTRY BEFORE COUNTRY WAS COOL.
>>YEAH. >>BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TWO THINGS. WE ACTIVELY RECRUIT. WE HAVE AN ENTIRE TEAM RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. RUN BY ROSIE, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT TEAM, INCLUDING BOTH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND VETERANS. AND THEY -- WE GET ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE PARTICIPATE IN THE EVENTS BY ORGANIZATIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, GO TO NATIONAL MEETINGS WHERE THEY ARE. AND THEN WE -- WE PROVIDE HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIPS, UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS, COLLEGE INTERNSHIPS, STIPENDS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS, POSTDOCS AND EARLY FAMILY. IT'S GOTTEN EASIER OVER TIME, PEOPLE KNOW WE'RE A FRIENDLY PLACE FOR THEM TO WORK.
THE OTHER THING WE'VE DONE IS OUR FACILITIES ARE ACCESSIBLE. SO WE HAVE LARGER HALLWAYS, FULL SPECTRUM LIGHTING. WE PROVIDE -- WE GO BEYOND ACCOMMODATIONS. WE DON'T LOOK AT WHAT ADA STANDARDS ARE.
WE LEAK AT WHAT PEOPLE -- LOOK AT WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO BE PRODUCTIVE TEAMMATES. >>SUCH WONDERFUL WORK. A FEW MONTHS AGO THE "NEW YORK TIMES" WROTE ABOUT HOW MANY DOCTORS' OFFICES ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE, MANY DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THE EXPENSE OF BETTER ACCESSIBILITY. ARE YOU WORKING WITH THE HEALTHCARE FACILITIES IN THIS REGARD? >>WE ARE TO SOME EXTENT, LIKE THE BEN ISCHA. >>THAT'S WHAT GENERATED.
>>A GOOD EXAMPLE, A WIN-WIN FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY NOT ONLY REDUCES AMOUNT OF STAFF NEEDED TO GO FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER TO HELP WITH TRANSFERS, SHOULD REDUCE WORKERS' COMPENSATION COSTS DUE TO INJURIES TO STAFF FROM HAVING TO PERFORM AWKWARD TRANSFERS. SO, LOT OF TELEHEALTH TECHNOLOGY EXTENDS WORK OF CLINICIANS, INSTEAD OF A PERSON COMING TO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE, MENTIONED TRANSPORTATION IS A BARRIER FOR LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE, YOU CAN BRING THE HEALTH CARE TO THE PERSON, MAYBE DOING MORE EFFECTIVELY IN HOME SETTINGS. I THINK THE TREND IN THE FUTURE WILL BE MORE OUTPATIENT CARE IN THE HOME SETTING AND HOME AND COMMUNITY SETTING. WE'LL HAVE TO DEVELOP TECHNOLOGIES WHERE WE CAN ASSESS PROGRESS AND PROVIDE ONGOING TRAINING IN HOME COMMUNITY SETTINGS.
SO THE OTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO MENTION IS THAT WE'RE ENGINEERS, P.T.s, O.T.s, COUNSELORS, PHYSICIANS. SO DATA SCIENTISTS. EVEN A COUPLE LAWYERS, ALL WORKING TOGETHER, LARGER PATENT LAWYERS. SO TO TRANSFER OUR KNOWLEDGE INTO THE CLINICAL SETTING.
AND VICE VERSA. WE DEVELOPED INTO THE CLINICAL SETTING, BARRIERS THEY SEE IN THE CLINICAL SETTING, TRANSFER TO US. AND FORTUNATELY WE'VE HAD PRETTY GOOD INFLUENCE ON UPMC HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, OUR AFFILIATED SYSTEM, WITH ADULT CHANGING TABLES, HIGH-LOW TABLES, ADDING, YOU KNOW, FAMILY BATHROOMS, WHICH BENEFIT ACTUALLY LARGER POPULATIONS THAN YOU MIGHT THINK. ACTUALLY, WE HAVEN'T SYSTEMATICALLY STUDIED BUT ANECDOTALLY ALMOST EVERYBODY PREFERS THOSE FACILITIES THAN THE ONES TYPICALLY PROVIDED.
THERE'S SOME COOL THINGS IN EUROPE. I SHOWED YOU THE ROBOTIC ARM, COVERED BY THE V.A., COVERED BY MOST GERMAN INSURANCE COMPANIES NOW. WHICH IS REALLY COOL.
BUT ALSO EUROPE HAS PASSED A LAW, FOR EXAMPLE, BATHROOMS HAVE TO HAVE REAL WALLS AND REAL STALLS BETWEEN DOORS. AND THEN THROUGH THAT, THEY CAN HAVE AN ACCESSIBLE BATHROOM WITHIN A REGULAR BATHROOM, AND THEY OF COURSE HAVE FAMILY BATHROOMS WHICH BENEFIT PEOPLE WITH CHILDREN AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE OF NEED ASSISTANCE, NOT JUST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, SO THAT'S UNIVERSAL DESIGN TRYING TO WORK WITH THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. WE'RE FORTUNATE OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM HAS RECOGNIZED THE BENEFIT, ALSO TO THEIR EMPLOYEE WORKFORCE, TO THE PEOPLE THEY PROVIDE CARE TO. >>LET ME CLOSE WITH MORE OF A COMMENT, THAT CAME IN EARLY BUT DOUBLES DOWN ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID. SHARING MY THOUGHTS, I FEEL THERE ARE NO CLEAR BOUNDARIES BETWEEN HAVING A DISABILITY OR NOT, AND SHE EXPLAINS A FEW THINGS. I THINK YOUR RESEARCH CAN BENEFIT ANYONE REGARDLESS OF THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF DISABILITY AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, LIKE THE THINGS YOU'RE DESCRIBING, PEOPLE PREFER SOME OF THESE CONVENIENCES THAT YOU'VE CREATED.
>>EXACTLY RIGHT. I'M OF THE PHILOSOPHY THAT EVERYBODY DEVELOPS A DISABILITY AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIFE. >>RIGHT. >>MAYBE ONLY THE LAST FEW SECONDS OF LIFE AND SO MAYBE AT BIRTH, BUT WE ALL HAVE DISABILITIES. AND SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THIS UNIVERSAL DESIGN APPROACH, HOW DO WE MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERYONE.
>>CLOSING COMMENT? PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. >>SO, THANK YOU, DR. COOPER, FOR THE TALK AND, YEAH, IF ANYONE HAS ANY OTHER COMMENTS WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES TO CHAT IN LIPSETT AS WELL. >>THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, WONDERFUL TO BE BACK HERE IN PERSON. [APPLAUSE]
2023-01-20 19:58
