Robotic Legs Let Wheelchair Users Walk Again By Chris Brandrick, PCWorld Jul 15, 2010 1:14 PM New Zealand firm Rex Bionics has been working on an admirable tech-savvy way to enable wheelchair users to walk again.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/201228/robotic_legs_let_wheelchair_users_walk_again.html

Tutorial Seven: Exchanging comments

 The five blogs that I have formed linkes with are Dave Armstrong's blog, as well as
http://www.google.com/reader/view/?tab=yy#stream/user%2F16505732136094657565%2Fstate%2Fcom.google%2Freading-list, &
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2408866/ &http://mastersinoccupationaltherapy.org/2010/top-50-occupational-therapy-blogs/ and I have posted the following comments on this site
http://counsellingresource.com/features/2011/04/04/positive-effects-of-solitude/#comment-61914

Tutorial 6

The topic I will be covering here will be assistive device suppliers for  OT. This is the local rehab equipment source
http://www.weka.net.nz/equipment/bathroom2,  another NZ one
http://medspec.co.nz/, and Invcare NZhttp://www.invacare.co.nz/index.cfm/1,93,0,33,html?gaw-nz-gen&gclid=CJSjt83Hi6gCFQrzbwod_wtHCg

All three links provide online catalogs, are intended to;
1. improve OT accessibility to rehab equipment
2. educate about new equipment
Designed for ease of use and easy maneuverability. 
As a practicing OT I'm sure I would use these sites extensivly

This is helpfull for understanding the p value within Statistics for OT

flag 2

flag 2, a photo by anubelu on Flickr.

Tutorial Seven: Assistive technology

A definition of assistive technology: According to Cook and Hussey (1995) assistive technology is "an item piece of equipment or product system whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified or customized that is used to increase or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities".

Ex model Dave came to share his knowledge about assistive technology in this Tutorial. Dave now an OT at Kimiora School, a specialised school for disabled children in Wellington. Dave uses assistive technology all the time in his practice to maximise the functional ability his children can have in their day to day lives.

Describe one piece of equipment introduced in the assistive technology tutorial. Provide information on size, cost and functions.

Dave showed us  many pieces of equipment  but the one that I would like to share with the OT world was  the Help kids learn site a educational programme to be used in conjunction with a interactive white board.  The set up costs are only possible with a decent budget as the white board is several hundred, and the video projector is over $ 4000.00. 

This Help kid learn soft ware is particularly useful as it teaches on many “Vark” levels at once. It is Colourful interactive and has a good audible quality. On one game demonstrated “hidden grid” the audio produced vibration like sensations accompanied with a visual pulsating vibration dot pattern tracing the movement of the hand on the screen. It would be useful to use with people with any impairment, and would encourage interaction even in the smallest ways as any movement is  large enough for people who have less control.

How does your chosen piece of equipment increase functional capacity for the user? Provide examples here from the tutorial and lecture.

It would increase function because it gives the user an exciting platform to see the results of action where they may otherwise have very little to note due to the lack of motor skills. This also helps clients participate in occupations they may not otherwise have been able to participate in.

Heres the link 

COOL WEE VID

Wheelchair blog: continues from post below

This post is about a wheelchair project which allows the user to stand up easily. “The Leeding E.D.G.E” also features easy drive handles with different gearing options to promote accessibility and combat shoulder injury generally caused by traditional wheeling techniques. Designer Time Leeding proposes this wheelchair alleviates pressure sores and makes moves toward closing social boundaries which “inhibit the lives of the disabled day to day.”
It is a world that I do not pretend for a moment to understand, that being the world that a person that must be in a wheelchair lives in. I believe that each person lives a different life, and that each person deals differently with a situation that they might not find ideal, for example becoming confined to a wheelchair partway through life. Does allowing a person with no use of legs the ability to stand up temporarily work toward a better life for that person?
That question asked, this wheelchair seems to me to be quite the fabulous looking bit of engineering. “The Leeding E.D.G.E” features “dynamic drive” handles that work with a rowing sort of motion. More energy efficient and less strenuous than traditional techniques. The chair features geared hubs featuring 2:1 drive, 1:1 drive, neutral and revers gears, and of course, that excellent standing mode.

The Leeding E.D.g.e Wheelchair

spikey

spikey, a photo by anubelu on Flickr.

been mucking around with editing photos