Abstract:
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) is responsible for documenting clinical and rehabilitation experiences of traumatic brain injured patients who receive care at UPMC's Presbyterian Hospital and Rehabilitation Hospital. This database provides a rich resource for research studies to find novel approaches for cost effective care and services for individuals with TBI. Specific research projects include: (1) Robotics with stroke and TBI - Loss of motor control can impact the functional capacity and the sense of well-being of a person with a brain injury. Robot-assisted rehabilitation has been shown to enhance arm movement recovery and regain functional skills. Robotic assisted rehabilitation while utilizing the difference between perceived and true ability examines the unique advantage in understanding performance.; (2) Virtual case manager - Traumatic brain injury creates enduring cognitive and motor deficits for the survivor. When the family assumes the primary caregiver role, substantial economic, emotional, and social costs are overwhelming. The Virtual Case Manager (VCM) is a guide to resources such as healthcare and community services, and a framework to have their questions answered. (3) Personal powered mobility - Personal powered mobility is recognized as a component in successful rehabilitation. Driving an electric powered wheelchair (EPW) functionally and unsupervised is a determinant for employability, social access and self-esteem. One must have the motor skills to operate a standard movement-sensing joysticks (MSJ). This study is to develop and test a EPW control system which combines a force-sensing joystick and a head position monitor (HPM) that can be customized to address each individual's motor and perceptual deficits.

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