Use of Assistive Technology for Cognition Among People With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Survey Study.

A survey was designed and administered in this study to assess the use of assistive technology for cognition (ATC), especially portable electronic ATC, among veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The aim of the survey was to obtain information on current ATC devices and applications use, users' experience with different features of ATC, and relevant training/support for their ATC. Twenty-nine veterans with TBI participated in this study.

Design and user evaluation of a wheelchair mounted robotic assisted transfer device.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to describe the robotic assisted transfer device (RATD) and an initial focus group evaluation by end users. The purpose of the device is to aid in the transfers of people with disabilities to and from their electric powered wheelchair (EPW) onto other surfaces. The device can be used for both stand-pivot transfers and fully dependent transfers, where the person being transferred is in a sling and weight is fully on the robot.

Investigation of the Impact of Sports, Exercise, and Recreation Participation on Psychosocial Outcomes in a Population of Veterans with Disabilities: A Cross-sectional Study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate possible effects that participation in sports, exercise, and recreation may have on self-esteem and quality-of-life in service members/veterans with disabilities.

Design: Two hundred twenty service members/veterans with disabilities who were participants in one of three annual adaptive sporting events took part in this cross-sectional study. Variables of interest were years of sport, exercise, and recreation participation since the onset of disability as well as the type of activity they engaged in.

Demographic profile of older adults using wheeled mobility devices.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the use of wheeled mobility devices differed with respect to age, gender, residential setting, and health-related factors among older adults. A total of 723 adults ageing 60 and older are representing three cohorts, from nursing homes, the Center for Assistive Technology, and the wheelchair registry from the Human Engineering Research Laboratories. Wheeled mobility devices were classified into three main groups: manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs, and scooters.

Upper limb nerve entrapment syndromes in veterans with lower limb amputations.

Objective: To examine the prevalence and severity of upper limb entrapment syndromes in a sample of veterans with lower limb amputations.

Design: A descriptive survey, pilot study.

Setting: 2008 National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic.

Quantification of activity during wheelchair basketball and rugby at the National Veterans Wheelchair Games: A pilot study.

To date, no published data exists on distances and speeds traveled by rugby or basketball players during game play. The purpose of this study was to provide quantitative information of selected characteristics of wheelchair basketball and rugby game play. A miniaturized data logger was used to collect the distance traveled, average velocity, activity time, and number of starts and stops during basketball and rugby games.

Psychosocial impact of participation in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games and Winter Sports Clinic.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of individuals who participate in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games (NVWG) and the Winter Sports Clinic (WSC) for veterans with disabilities. In addition, it was of interest to determine how these events had impacted their lives.

Method: Participants were recruited at the 20th Winter Sports Clinic, held in Snowmass Colorado and the 26th National Veterans Wheelchair Games held in Anchorage, Alaska.

The development of a nationwide registry of wheelchair users.

This paper provides an overview of the development of a wheelchair users registry and subsequently describes a population of individuals who use wheelchairs. The characteristics of Americans who permanently use wheelchairs and scooters are currently unknown. As the result of developing a Registry of individuals who use wheeled mobility devices for systematic recruitment for research studies, this study provides a description of a nationwide sample of over 1000 individuals who used wheelchairs or scooters for their daily mobility.