Ideas to help break down barriers: the RESNA Student Scientific Paper/Paralyzed Veterans of America Student Design Competition winners

Abstract

Each year, RESNA hosts two competitions at its annual conference. The RESNA Student Scientific Paper Competition promotes high-quality research related to the fields of rehabilitation engineering and assistive technology. The Paralyzed Veterans of America Student Design Competition recognizes exemplary projects developed by students from all disciplines related to assistive technology. Both competitions are intended to encourage students from a variety of disciplines to address issues in the field of assistive technology and submit papers for presentation at the annual RESNA conference. This article presents summaries of the 1999 competition winning entries which covered the following topics: relating wheelchair setup to propulsion biomechanics; gender differences in the kinematic features of manual wheelchair propulsion; comparison of side-to-side wheelchair propulsion forces using an ARMA modeling technique; feasibility of EEG control for a hand grasp neuroprosthesis; clinical use of in situ pressure sensors for prosthetic socket fit; bowling ramp modification to increase autonomy and normalization; passive robot for frail visually impaired people; a telephone device to improve communication; voice operated wheelchair; wheelchair-based mounting system for automated positioning of electronic augmentative communication device.