Assistive Technology Projects

One goal of the Palo Alto Rehabilitation R&D Center is to promote the development of assistive technologies to help people with disabilities to be as functional and independent as possible. The development of new assistive technology products generally involves four stages. These are:

• Product recruitment: identifying the need for new products and emerging technologies that can be used in their development. Brainstorming sessions with users of assistive devices, engineers, and health care staff are conducted to determine the appropriateness of new product ideas.

• Product development: employing new fabrication techniques, materials, and designs to build prototype devices and technologies. Student projects are frequently used as a means to test a new design idea.

• Product evaluation: identifying criteria and methods for screening Rehab R&D Center projects for commercial potential and facilitating the formal clinical evaluation of these projects.

• Product availability: disseminating project information, using Stanford's Office of Technology Licensing (OTL) to negotiate agreements and licenses, engaging in activities to promote the transfer and commercialization of laboratory prototypes, and offering advice and assistance to all staff regarding legal and regulatory matters. The Rehab R&D Center has the ability to work on a project within its mission for a commercial company or university under a contract or Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA). The Center can also work as a consultant under an Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grant to bring a VA prototype device to market.

Listed below are some of the devices developed at the Center for which a significant milestone was achieved.

Composite Crutch

Endoskeleton Prosthetic Hand

HandBike

Hygiene Aid

Ralph Fingerspelling Hand

Scooter Lift

Ultrasonic Head Controlled Wheelchair Interface

Wrist Locking Mechanism