Scope
The aim of the Children's Rehabilitation Engineering Program (REP) is to create and test innovative, practical assistive and surgical devices to help children with orthopaedic disabilities lead active lives with maximum independence.
Research
Research and Development focuses on refinement and testing of a functional, cosmetic and low-cost hand prosthesis for children, and development of a new type of hand for teenagers who want an improved appearance with lightweight and less-obtrusive equipment. A new mobile arm support for children with muscular weakness and for increased arm control of children with dyskinesia will be also developed. In addition, a component of the program is designed to create novel structures for inclusive playground activities.
The Education and Community Outreach component includes a hands-on educational outreach program to engender interest in rehabilitation engineering among students of many levels, particularly from underserved communities, and to create collaborative activities involving students with and without disabilities. Students with disabilities and students from disadvantaged backgrounds train in the Manufacturing of Assistive Devices Laboratory (MAD-LAB) where they learn the manufacturing processes and professional job skills, and at the same time produce several dozen prototype devices created in the development projects.
Apparatus
The laboratory uses the existing machine shop and is currently acquiring testing tools to measure features of new prototype artificial limbs and orthoses.
Staff
The permanent staff in the Children's Rehabilitation Engineering Center is under the direction of Samuel E. Landsberger, Sc.D., and includes Julie Shaperman, MSPH, OTR and two part time engineers: Artin Davidian, B.S.M.E. (Education and Outreach Program Coordinator) and Grigor Kerdanyan, M.S.M.E. (Development Engineering Coordinator).
Selected Publications
- 2005: Landsberger, S, Leung, P. et al, Mobile Arm Supports: History, Application and Work in Progress, Topics in Spinal Cord Injury, Fall 2005
- 2005: Landsberger, .S, Davidian, A., &Garibay, J. Involving Engineering Students in Hands-on Rehabilitation Engineering Projects. Invited Presentation: A New Incubator Training and Manufacturing Model and Hands-on Rehabilitation Engineering Education for Minority and at-Risk Youth, Capacity Building Workshop for Minority Involvement in Rehabilitation Research, National Institute on Disabilities and Rehabilitation Research, Washington, DC, July, 2005.
- 2005: Landsberger, S Keynote Address, "Supportive technology made to simply disappear: design strategies for devices to age gracefully, usefully and not prematurely." International Society for Gerontechnology, Nagoya, Japan, May 2005.
- 2005: Kerdanyan G., Minkel J., Landsberger, S. Measurement of Force and Acceleration Experienced in a Manual Wheelchair, Proceedings, Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA), Atlanta, GA. June, 2005.
- 2004: R. Reynolds, R. Weber, S. Mulroy, S. Landsberger, D. McNeal, J. Perry, J. Hsu, S. Chun, "Dual Action Posterior Strut Ankle Foot Orthosis - A Tunable Brace" Proceedings of the 11th World Congress of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO), Hong Kong, August 2004.
Contacts
Samuel E. Landsberger, Sc.D., samlandsberger@earthlink.net tel. (213) 742-1441
Continue: OH Research Center at UCLA
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Child eating with the aid of an arm brace
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