Program Office: National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)

CFDA Number: 84.133E
Program Type: Formula Grants, Discretionary/Competitive Grants
Also Known As: RERCs

• Program Description
• Types of Projects
• Additional Information

Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs) conduct programs of advanced research of an engineering or technical nature designed to apply advanced technology, scientific achievement, and psychological and social knowledge to solve rehabilitation problems and remove environmental barriers.

RERCs work at the individual level focusing on technology to benefit those affected by sensory loss, mobility impairment, or communication difficulties. They also work at the systems level to eliminate barriers such as those found in telecommunications and the built environment. Each center is affiliated with a rehabilitation setting, which provides an environment for cooperative research and the transfer of rehabilitation technologies into rehabilitation practice.

RERCs also develop systems for the exchange of technical and engineering information worldwide and improve the distribution of technological devices and equipment to individuals with disabilities.

TYPES OF PROJECTS

NIDRR supported rehabilitation engineering research centers have led to advances in assistive technology products and rehabilitation services. Furthermore, a number of RERCs have played major roles in developing voluntary standards that industry uses when developing wheelchairs, seating systems, prosthetics and orthotics, universal design applications and Web accessibility.

A quick list of some of the most recent products developed by RERCs:

• Accessible Kiosks, Voting Booths and ATM Machines
  Universally accessible so that all individuals, regardless of their functional abilities or sensory loss, can safely and independently access information, cast ballots, and navigate screens.


• Talking Signs
  Provides a universal remotely readable signage system of particular benefit to the blind community. The system uses infrared transmitters placed at sign locations, programmed with the desired “sign” messages. The user receives the verbal signage information on his/her receiver.


• Direct Ultrasound Ranging System (DURS)
  A new measurement instrument that was designed to assist prosthetists and orthotists with improved management of their clients and with documentation of functional outcomes and rehabilitation progress. The DURS enables clinicians to evaluate walking function through measurement of the forward motion including symmetry of gait, instantaneous walking velocity, fluctuation of forward velocity, average walking speed, cadence, step lengths and step times.


• Hand-Held Hearing Screening Device
  A highly cost effective device that is used to screen for hearing loss in newborns, infants, young children and other difficult to test people. Advantages of this system include high accuracy, portability, ease of use, convenience for field testing, speed of testing (1 to 2 minutes per test), and resistance to interference from ambient noise.
  

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

To view contact information and abstracts for newly or currently funded Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers, click here

Note: This is one of several NIDRR grant programs. Congress provides an appropriation for NIDRR as a whole; see the main entry for NIDRR (#84.133). The amounts listed here are a portion of the total NIDRR appropriation.