Rehabilitation engineering disabilities, people with

The most welcome technical achievements in life science are the ones that enhance well-being or restore impaired or lost biological functions. Rehabilitation engineering is a research field that has devoted its full spectrum of efforts to compensate for malfunctions and disorders in human biological systems. This includes the development of devices for the rehabilitation of neural disorders which are termed neural prostheses. Neural prostheses directly interface with the central and peripheral nervous system. The most commonly known neural prosthesis is the cardiac pacemaker, which has existed for more than 30 years. A variety of other lesser known devices have been developed to partially restore neural functions in disabled people. 

Modified vans and cars enable persons with disabilities to independently drive a vehicle. Wheelchair tie-downs and occupant restraints in personal vehicles and in public transportation vehicles are allowing people to be safely transported to their chosen destination. Fortunately, voluntary performance standards for restraint and tie-down technologies have been developed by a task group within the Society for Automotive Engineers (SAE). Standards for car hand controls, van body modifications, and wheelchair lifts are also available from SAE. These standards provide the rehabilitation engineer with a set of took that can be used to confirm safety compliance of modified transportation equipment. Currently in process and stiU requiring several more years of work are transport wheelchair and vehicle power control standards. 

Technology that supports people in the workplace or in an educational environment can include such applications as computer workstations, modified restrooms, and transportation to and from work or school. Students need the abihty to take notes and do assignments, and people working have a myriad of special tasks that may need to be analyzed and modified to enable the employee with the disability to be independent and productive. Weisman has presented an extensive overview of rehabilitation engineering in the workplace, which includes a review of different types of workplaces, the process of accommodation, and many case examples [Weisman, 1990]. 

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