News

Early research at Mayo Clinic using stem cell therapy to treat spinal cord injuries has produced results for one patient that doctors describe as “beyond expectations.”

U.S. Army veteran and frequent traveler who uses a wheelchair discusses perils of flying and why change is needed now.

When it comes to developing cutting-edge technology to help people with spinal problems walk again, Dinesh Palipana is uniquely qualified – not only is he a decorated medical researcher, he’s also a quadriplegic.

Dr Palipana was seriously injured in a car crash on Brisbane’s Gateway Bridge in 2010 that robbed him of the use of his legs and left him with limited use of his arms.

Microsoft’s Xbox Adaptive Controller (XAC) facilitates gaming for players with accessibility needs. While a forward-thinking device, the XAC isn’t without limitations. To get the most out of the peripheral, users must purchase separate triggers, switches, and other accessories. Doing this can get expensive, especially for those living on a limited budget. Logitech has a solution with its upcoming product: the Logitech G Adaptive Gaming Kit. I recently participated in a conference call where I got to see what the Adaptive Gaming Kit is all about.

Thousands of people order the holiday cards Mariam Paré paints, but few know her backstory is as incredible as the art she creates.

For as long as she could remember, she was surrounded by color; paint tubes and brushes stacked high in every corner. At 20, she was one of the top art students at Benedictine College of DuPage. Until the night her life was changed in an instant.

Quadriplegic ‘Halo’ Fan Builds Custom Controllers for Players With Disabilities

A new study led by a University of Calgary researcher at the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) finds that fatigue and sleep may need more attention in order to prevent issues like stroke after spinal cord injury.

“People with spinal cord injury have alarming rates of stroke, and we wanted to understand why,” says study lead Dr. Aaron Phillips, Ph.D., assistant professor, in the Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, and member of the CSM’s Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute.

Feinstein Institutes research examines new closed-loop neurostimulation

MANHASSET, NY — Researchers at The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research used new closed-loop neurostimulation methods and textile-based electrodes to facilitate individual finger movement and grasp force regulation in quadriplegia individuals. Their results were published in the Springer Nature journal, Bioelectronic Medicine.

Carl Williams maneuvers across the court with the practiced precision of an athlete. He simultaneously searches the crowd, calculating which team member can catch an inbound throw without being intercepted.

This might seem a tough task for Williams, a double amputee aboard a wheelchair. But Williams, 38, has become a master of wheelchair rugby, a full-contact sport with a mix of rules from football and soccer. He takes aim the moment he spots Timothy Jones, the other top scorer for a team called the TIRR Texans, which was started in 1997.

Medicine, engineering work together to build custom tool for successful therapy

Children with spinal cord injuries have experienced remarkable results in recovery at the University of Louisville and Frazier Rehab Institute through locomotor training, a therapy designed to help them recover the ability to sit, stand and even walk. In locomotor training, the child is suspended over a treadmill and his or her feet are moved by trainers in a stepping motion. This taps into capability of the spinal cord to help the child regain movement and trunk control.