Wireless RERC - research

NIDRR’s Long Range Plan for 2013-2017

mz22 — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:28:14 +0000

National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)

NIDRR’s Long Range Plan for 2013-2017

April 2013 — The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education released a Notice [FR Doc No: 2013-07879] of the publication of the final Long-Range Plan for Fiscal years 2013-2017 for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). The goals and objectives of NIDRR, as outlined in the publication, include: the creation of a portfolio of research, development and other activities that have a balanced focus on employment, community living and participation, and health and function, as they relate to individuals with disabilities; supporting centers and projects conducting relevant research and development; promoting the effective use and accessibility of NIDRR research to individuals with disabilities and their families; and improving program administration. The plan will be effective on May 6, 2013.

Industrial Design Student Projects to Address Universal Design in the Wireless World

blippincott4 — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:00:47 +0000

Publication Type:

04.20.12 – Last month, Jim Mueller kicked off the 2012 “Getting Wireless: Exploring Universal Design in Wireless Technologies,” where industrial design student teams at GA Tech and Virginia Tech completed their final designs for the Wireless RERC’s 2012 “Getting Wireless” universal design competition. On April 20, four teams selected from each school presented their final designs at the Industrial Designers Society of America regional conference, “Design Dialogue: Grow, Expand, Advance” in Atlanta, Georgia.

House of Representatives Passes Research and Development Legislation

blippincott4 — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:37:35 +0000

research

information technology

cloud computing

Advancing America's Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Act of 2012 [H.R. 3834]

04.27.12 – The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Advancing America’s Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Act of 2012 [H.R. 3834], legislation that will amend the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 [P.L. 102-194] as amended. The proposed legislation revises current federal funding policies for research and development within network and information technology. Primarily, the proposed legislation encourages interdisciplinary research and development activities and especially encourages collaboration among researchers in higher education, federal entities, and industry. In addition, all funded agencies would be required to develop 5-year strategic plans describing near and long term objectives as well as how proposed activities would create new technology that is beneficial to society, encourages interdisciplinary research, enhances network and information technology education, and increases the number of “women and under-represented minorities [who] pursue postsecondary degrees in networking and information technology.” The proposed legislation also calls for a task force to examine methods for employing collaborative research and development activities for cyber-physical systems as well as an interagency group to explore the research and development activities needed to enhance the use of cloud computing and determine the potential use of cloud computing for such activities.

[Source: U.S. Government Printing Office]

NIDRR RERC Proposed Long Range Plan

blippincott4 — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 04:00:00 +0000

04.18.12 - The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) issued a Notice requesting comment on their Proposed Long-Range Plan for Fiscal Years 2013 – 2017. Objectives within the plan include:

ensuring that research, development and other activities are balanced between areas of focus including employment, community living, and health, and address the needs of people with various disabilities and social circumstances;
supporting both qualitative and quantitative research with an effort to “generate evidence-based practices;”
improving the capabilities of NIDRR research centers to ensure that research can be directly utilized as information for people with disabilities and stakeholders;
supporting projects that have potential benefit for multiple groups of people with disabilities, such as research into disability demographics, assistive technology, and information and communication technology;
improving program administration by “[streamlining] processes for establishing and publishing priorities for grant competitions,” implementing a schedule for publishing priorities and conducting peer reviews, and creating a consistent peer review process.

Comments on the plan are due June 18, 2012. [Source: NIDRR]

Additional Information:

NIDRR Announcement

[http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-04-18/html/2012-9365.htm]

New NIDRR RERC Proposed Priorities

blippincott4 — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 04:00:00 +0000

NIDRR

Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC)

research

proposed priorities

The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) has issued a notice of proposed priorities for Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) within the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program. Specifically NIDRR has proposed two priorities for RERCs including recreational technologies and exercise physiology benefitting individuals with disabilities and rehabilitation robotics. In regards to recreational technologies, NIDRR cites the Institute of Medicine who state that people with disabilities are less likely to engage in physical activity than those without disabilities due to factors such as environmental barriers and “limited knowledge of safe and appropriate levels of exercise.” Thus, the priority “seeks to fund research and development activities that will facilitate equitable access to, and safe use of, recreational equipment, facilities, and recreational programs, and that will increase physical health and reduce secondary conditions associated with disability and sedentary lifestyle.” For the second priority, rehabilitation robotics, NIDRR highlights that although there have been many advances in this field, such as manipulator arms, cognitive aids, and therapy robots, many of these devices are expensive or are not conducive to widespread distribution. NIDRR has accordingly prioritized an RERC that evaluates not only the efficacy and safety of rehabilitation robotics but also engages in the development of “innovative technologies and techniques to improve the current state of the science and usability of rehabilitation robotics for individuals with disabilities.” Specifically, NIDRR has prioritized research and development for both assistance and therapy robots, citing a need to “improve the usability and utility of assistance robots” and to “expand the use of therapy robots beyond large rehabilitation centers.” The proposed priorities may be used for the current as well as later fiscal years. Comments on the notice are due May 10, 2012. [Source: NIDRR]

Additional Information:

NIDRR Announcement

[http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-04-10/html/2012-8614.htm]

New Google Funding Opportunity

blippincott4 — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 04:00:00 +0000

research

funding opportunity

04.01.12 – Google Research has issued a notice inviting proposals for the Faculty Research Awards Program. They are one year awards up to $150,000 for cutting edge research in computer science, engineering and related fields. Google has also asked applicants to categorize their research into one of many research interests including education innovation, human-computer interaction, policy and standards, privacy, security, social networks, and machine learning and data mining. Any additional questions can be directed to the Research Awards team by visiting the designated Google+ Hangout from March 14 to April 12, from 9:00 – 10:00 AM and 5:00 – 6:00 PM PDT. The applications are due April 15, 2012 and can be submitted on the Google Research Website. [Source: Google]

Additional Information:

Google Faculty Research Awards Program

[ http://research.google.com/university/relations/research_awards.html]

Proposal Submission

[ https://docs.google.com/a/macros/google.com/exec?service=AKfycbz_UYUtpa1sG6g5d0LOevX2fM0m9zv0jZXxqqi3Pw]