Other News

June 2013 — The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) has announced a final priority and award application for a Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Technologies to Support Successful Aging with Disability. The prospective RERC will “research, develop or identify and evaluate innovative technologies and strategies that maximize the physical and cognitive functioning of individuals with long-term disabilities as they age.”  The estimated available award is $925,000.

June 2013 — The New Mexico Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NMCDHH) released the final report on results from their iPad Pilot Project.  The project arose from a recognition of the decreasing number of requests for telecommunications equipment although hearing disabilities as the third fastest growing disability, at the same time as an increased demand for more mainstream and wireless devices.

Speaking at the M-Enabling Summit on June 6, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse announced that Sprint’s new LG Optimus F3 smartphone will be preloaded with TalkBack, Google’s accessibility app for the blind and visually impaired. Unlike other smartphones that require downloading and activation of Talkback, the Optimus F3 begins providing voice guidance to help with activation and setup as soon as the user powers up the phone.

June 11, 2013 — The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) has announced a final priorities and award applications for Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Programs (ARRTs) and Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs).  For the ARRT Program, which provides research training and experience to individuals with “clinical or relevant experience,” NIDRR has announced award applications for the following priorities:

June 10, 2013 — The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) has announced a final priority and award application for a Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Promoting Healthy Aging for Individuals with Long-Term Physical Disabilities. As noted by NIDRR in the proposed priority, “aging with disability is now a common experience of individuals with disabilities,” and addressing this issue requires providing, financing and evaluating the effectiveness of health care services.