Georgia Institute of Technology Seeks Participants with Disabilities

posted on Feb 15 by Snow in the Disability News, Technology, Wheelchair Technology category

The Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA), is a multidisciplinary engineering and design research center at the Georgia Institute of Technology that has become dedicated to enhancing the health, activity, and participation of people with disabilities through the development and application of assistive and universally designed technologies. CATEA believes rather than focusing on a disability and seeing people as “disabled,” they believe that the limitations of current technologies and the design of the built environment account for the difference between any individual’s potential and his or her ability to perform activities and participate in society. CATEA seeks to minimize such limitations.

CATEA along with the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Wheeled Mobility (Mobility RERC) have a goal to find new ways of conceptualizing and fully understanding wheeled mobility, from the design of assistive devices that enable individuals to perform activities, to the design of a broad range of interventions that enable as many individuals as possible to participate in the everyday community life. The research and development work of the RERC is not just limited to wheelchairs but considers the users and all of their interactions including seating, environmental barriers, and interactive training techniques. The Mobility RERC is comprised of rehabilitation engineers, researchers, engineers, clinicians and physicians, product designers, architects, and environmental accessibility specialists at Georgia Tech, Georgia State University (GSU), Duke University and the Shepherd Center.

As part of their ongoing efforts, CATEA and RERC are seeking participants in some of their paid programs listed below with ongoing opportunities available:

CATEA and (RERC) are currently are looking for Georgia Residents as participants for a Wheelchair Research Study.
The Mobility Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center at Georgia Tech is currently seeking subjects to participate in a study looking at the use of wheelchairs. You must use a manual wheelchair in order to participate. There is a $25 reimbursement for participation. Study involvement for qualified individuals will include:

1. Attaching sensors to your wheelchair; these sensors will not affect how you use your wheelchair or cushion.
2. Instrumentation will be placed on wheelchairs for one week or up to three months.
3. Two instrumentation sessions will occur that may take up to 90 minutes.
4. You will be asked some questions about yourself and your wheelchair.

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CATEA and (RERC) are currently looking for Georgia Residents as participants for a physical activity and walking monitoring research study.
You must use an assistive device such as a walker, crutches, or a cane in order to participate. You may also use a wheelchair. There is a $25 reimbursement for participation. Study involvement for qualified individuals will include:

1. Attaching sensors to your assistive device as well as to yourself. The sensors will not affect how you use your assistive device.
2. Instrumentation will be placed on your device for one week or up to three months.
3. Instrumentation for personal motion will be worn during waking hours for one week or up to three months.
4. Two instrumentation sessions may take up to three hours total.
5. You will be asked some questions about yourself and your use of an assistive device.

If you are interested in participating in either study, please call Susan Perlman at 404-894-2861 or email her at susan.perlman@coa.gatech.edu for more information.

To learn more about ongoing, upcoming studies, participation in the CATEA Consumer Network (CCN) is FREE. People with disabilities and seniors may participate in the CCN. The sign-up form takes a few minutes to complete (http://www.catea.gatech.edu/ccn/consent_form.php).

If you are having difficulty with the form, you may also complete it by phone by contacting a CATEA research representative at (800) 726-9119 (voice or TTY) or (404) 894-4960. CCN members will receive periodic notices about paid and unpaid opportunities for involvement in surveys, focus groups, and research studies.