Welcome

Welcome to AT R&D News, a free new monthly newsletter from FAST with the latest on Research and Development in the AT field. Our aim is to help researchers stay up to date with national developments, local initiatives and research projects relevant to the AT community. There are also regular updates on sources of funding, AT jobs, conferences and opportunities to share knowledge about the AT sector.

To subscribe (or unsubscribe) to the newsletter, or to suggest items for inclusion, email: researchnews@fastuk.org.

Contents

1. Funding Update
2. New Projects
3. AT and communication 
4. AT in the news
5. Call for Papers
6. Jobs
7. Events and resources 

1. Funding Update

• Communication Matters has announced a new round of funding for small grants (applicants must be resident in the UK). Consideration will be given to applications for ‘not-for-profit’ projects in the UK that further the aims of Communication Matters. This grant is not to provide funding for a communication aid, therapy, training and other provision that fall within the remit of the statutory agencies, or to provide for an organisation’s core funding. Examples of the kind of project that may be awarded a grant include organising an event for people who use AAC, publishing an information leaflet, or funding for the costs of a social research project. Deadlines for applications this year are 1st March 2010 and 30th June 2010 and there is more information via this link.
   
• Ten £4,000 innovation vouchers are available to SMEs in the south east of England involved in using information, communication and sensor technologies to deliver health and social supportas part of an initiative by the South East Health Technology Alliance (SEHTA). The vouchers will enable SMEs to form new relationships with the South East’s world-leading universities, research hospitals and public research institutions, giving them access to facilities and expertise that will help them develop innovative products, processes or services. There are opportunities for working with universities and institutions who have expertise in electronics, engineering, computing, physiological monitoring, clinical trials and other areas. Such collaborations may produce new products, new long-term partnerships and further funding opportunities e.g. through KTPs, i4i and ICE-T. The deadline for applications is 2nd March 2010 and there is more information via this link. 
    
• The HealthTech and Medicines KTN is offering five industrial CASE Studentships for awards that are due to start in the academic year 2010/2011. The KTN is looking for high quality Industrial Case Studentship proposals in line with the priority areas for health technologies and medicine sectors identified by the EPSRC and the development of new generations of medical and implantable devices. The technical scope is broad with the main emphasis on encouraging adventurous research for improved health technologies, whilst engaging with the industrial and clinical base to provide a route to the market. Deadline is 11th March 2010 and more details are available here.

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2. New Projects

• Researchers from the Psychology and Computing departments at the University of Southampton have been working on the development of a web-based interactive cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) programme designed to help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) manage fatigue. Previous research has shown that CBT can be effective in dealing with the symptoms of extreme fatigue which often accompany MS, but limitations in the numbers of skilled therapists available means that many people with MS do not receive treatment. The aim is to produce a package which can be used by anyone with access to the internet. The work is being funded by the MS Society. For more details, go here.
   
• A team at Kings College London is about to begin work on a project to assess whether or not assistive technology can improve everyday life for people with Parkinson's Disease. The research team will talk to 80 people with Parkinson's Disease and their carers, living in South East England, to find out what sort of equipment they use, who provided it, and whether once supplied the equipment meets the specific needs of people with Parkinson's. These findings will be compared with those of 96 people with Parkinson's and their carers from the rest of England, who will take part in focus groups. To find out more, follow this link.
   
• Almost 1 in 7 UK citizens experiences chronic pain, some due to chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis, but much of it mechanical low back pain (LBP) with no treatable cause. In around 40% of cases, the pain is very severe and restricts movement. Up till now, assistive technology has not had much impact in pain management, largely because of the complexity of dealing with the emotional and motivational issues involved. Now researchers drawn from University College London, Imperial College and the University of Leicester have won EPSRC funding to design and develop an intelligent system which will monitor and assess how people's moods and movements are being affected by pain. Initially the "Pain rehabilitation: E/Motion-based automated coaching" will be undertaken in a clinical environment, but longer term could be extended to home or community settings. 
  
  The researchers aim to develop a set of methods for automatically recognising audiovisual clues related to pain, along with the patterns of behaviour typical of LBP, and the emotional states which influence the perception of pain. This information about behaviour will be integrated into a system that will provide appropriate feedback and prompts to people who are carrying out self-directed physical therapy sessions. More details via this link.

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3. AT and communication

• Researchers at Barnsley Hospital NHS Trust are looking to develop a computer based language comprehension assessment for children with severe physical disabilities. The initial aim of this Devices for Dignity (D4D) project is to enable children with alternative access methods (switches, eye gaze etc) to access a formal assessment. However, being computer based, it may also benefit other children with motivation, confidence or attention difficulties. Researchers are keen to gather as much information as possible about which aspects of current assessments need to be included and are seeking responses to an online questionnaire. The survey takes approximately ten minutes to complete and the deadline for submission is 1st April 2010. To take part follow this link.
   
• Jean Gross, the communication champion, is inviting comments on her blog which is available via this link.  
   
• The annual Tobii EyeTrackAwards recognise research and projects that have generated new knowledge and insights by using eye tracking technology. The winner receives a prize of 5000 euros. Findings from eligible projects must have been published in writing (in English) between October 1st 2009 and September 30th 2010 in a journal, book, as a conference paper, or similar. The deadline for entries is 30th September 2010 and there is more information here.
   
• ACE Centre North has been working with ICAN to develop a section of the Talking Point website entitled ‘Let’s All Talk’. The web resources aim to provide information about using Assistive Technology and AAC with young children and are available here. The developers are looking for feedback via an online survey here.
   
• East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust is looking for a Head of the Adult Communication & Assistive Technology Service following Aejaz Zahid's departure to help set up a new AT centre in the Middle East. The post is based in Canterbury and is responsible for day to day management of a multidisciplinary team. The deadline for applications is 12th March 2010 and there is more information via this link.  
   
• The MDA/ALs newsmagazine has an article on voice-banking for people with MND, specifically looking at Model Talker which is available here.
   
• West Midlands based Access to Communication and Technology (ACT) is offering four full day training dates in Birmingham this spring to accompany the AAC care pathway. There are also a series of half-day sessions called 'Introduction to Access to Communication and Technology' which will touch on AAC and ECS and the care pathway. The first event is on 11th March 2010 and there are more details via this link. 
   
• This year's ISAAC conference in Barcelona includes a weekend workshop for people who want to play music and take part in a band which will play at the opening ceremony. Details of the workshop programme are here and there are shots of the musicians in action here. 
  
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4. AT in the news 

• Simon Halsey, an engineer with BIME, is featured in a new book entitled ‘Extraordinary You’ which the NHS has published in order to recognise and promote the vital roles that scientists play in delivering first class healthcare. The book showcases the work of nearly 100 scientists and engineers from across the NHS working in a variety of fields.
  
  Simon’s contribution highlights the Wizzbug project, a paediatric mobility solution for very young disabled children developed by BIME which is now a commercially available product.‘The Wizzybug has been a real success story and I feel very proud to have been part of the team that made it happen,’ Simon commented.
  
  Simon also joined the book’s editor and all the other scientists at a launch celebration at no. 11 Downing Street, where speakers including Sue Hill ( NHS chief Scientific Officer) emphasised the need to acknowledge and promote scientific endeavour within the NHS.
  
  The book will be distributed around the NHS and schools and colleges in order to encourage uptake of these subjects by students. For more details, follow this link. 
   
• Nomad Wheelchairs, has become the first UK company to win the ‘Excellence in a First Time Design Project’ Award at the European design awards, the DME Awards, in Eindhoven, Holland. The award recognise and reward companies for excellent management of the complete design process, from product design to branding, marketing and literature. It covers how a company pulls all these elements together in order to lead through design and includes planning, communication, delivery and results.
  
  Nomad are the first mobility company to win any DME Award. Other companies to enter the awards this year came from Lithuania, Holland, Germany, and across Europe, and represented many various industries, from architecture to soft drinks. Mark Owen, a wheelchair user himself, started the company with his brother in 2009 in response to over a decade of feeling frustrated by the choice of wheelchairs available to the market. More details on the award here, and for more information on Nomad go here.
   
• OSS Watch, the open source software advisory service, has published a guide to computer hardware and software accessibility issues, which outlines the main areas of activity and provides links to accessibility communities and sources of further information. To find out more, go here.
   
• Reports in the US suggest that the government there is committed to accessibility standards. Find out more via this link. However, there have also been comments that the takeover of software company Sun by Oracle jeopardises the GNOME accessibility project. More details via this link.
   
• The Equality Challenge Unit has published a report about access to higher education for people with sensory impairments in response to concerns that students who are blind or partially sighted, deaf or hard of hearing, or within the autistic spectrum are disadvantaged by their campus environment. The report looks at the issues and solutions, including the use of assistive technology, and is available here.
   
• Becta's ICT Excellence Awards are now open for entries.The awards aim to celebrate innovative use of technology in schools, local authorities and other supporting organisations, and to share the experiences of those at the forefront of the use of technology in learning. The deadline for entries is 24th March 2010 and there is more information on the categories and criteria, and online entry forms, via this link. 
   
• London's National Theatre is premiering a new play 'Really Old, like Forty Five'. Set mid-21st century, with Alzheimer's disease as the biggest problem facing society, the play examines the government's responses and the way in which older people are treated in hospital. There is an interview with the author, who was inspired to write the piece after a visit to a care home, in the Daily Telegraph here. Details of the play via this link.
   
• EAC, a charity which specialises in providing information and advice on housing and care needs for older people, has launched a series of awards covering eleven categories of retirement housing and housing with care options. Both the finalists and the awards were determined by residents and not the industry, with the inaugural launch event being held at the House of Lords. For more information, follow this link.
   
• In response to the Housing and Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (HAPPI) report produced by the Homes and Communities Agency last year, the Department of Health is supporting a new category in the Housing Design Awards for the best design for accommodating the over 55s. Housing Design Awards' other partners are HCA, the consumer standards setting body NHBC, the key professional institutions - RICS for surveyors, RIBA for architects and RTPI for planners - and the London Development Agency. There are also judges from CABE and Design for Homes. Awards are made to both Completed schemes and Projects, being developments with planning permission but not yet built out. Deadline for entries is 5th March 2010 and there is more information here. 
   
• The Limbless Association is moving office in a bid to cut operating costs in the face of financial difficulties. After 25 years at Roehampton, from 3rd March the charity will be based at 3The Drive, Jubilee House, Warley Hill, Brentwood CM13 3FR for the next 18 months, and will review the situation after that time. More details are available on the Association's relaunched website, via this link.
   
• US medical aid charity Direct Relief International is committing $1.2 million to provide assistive devices and rehabilitation to people in Haiti who suffered disabling injuries during the mid-January quake. 'We know this is a long-term need, and we want to help start services that will be here five years from now for Haitians and run by Haitians,' Brett Williams, the nonprofit’s emergency preparedness and response director, said in a news release. 'An additional $2 million like will be needed, which we will work on, but we think it is important to carve out resources and begin focusing on this critical area now for the long haul.' To find out more go here.
     
• The NIHR has appointed Martin Hunt as the first Director of its Invention for Innovation (i4i) programme, which aims to support and accelerate the translation of bright ideas for new high-tech products into methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment. More details via this link.

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5. Call for Papers

• INVOLVE are inviting presentations on all aspects of public involvement in health and/ or social care research with a focus on innovation and impact, for the INVOLVE conference 2010. The conference will be held on 16th-20th November at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham. The closing date for proposed presentations is 12th April 2010 and there is more information via this link.
   
• The Ubicomp 2010 conference features keynotes, technical paper and notes sessions, specialized workshops, live demonstrations, posters, video presentations, and a Doctoral Colloquium and there is still time to submit, with the Call for Participation closing dates timetabled for late March and June. The event brings together an interdisciplinary field of research and development that utilises and integrates pervasive, wireless, embedded, wearable and/or mobile technologies to bridge the gaps between the digital and physical worlds, and will be held in Copenhagen 26th-29th September 2010 More details here.
   
• This year's International Conference on Ageing, Disability and Independence (ICADI) will have a special focus on ageing in the workplace and livable communities, along with mobility, robotics and prevention of injury. The conference takes place in Newcastle from 7th-10th September and the deadline for the call for papers is 29th March 2010. Find out more information via this link. 

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6. Jobs

• Bournemouth University is offering a fully funded PhD Studentship working on a project which is examining 'Goal Neglect In Young And Old Adults And Patients With Dementia' using computer-based tasks. 'Goal neglect' refers to the inability to act on intention, and the aim of this project is to explore and compare goal neglect in these different populations and under various task conditions. The deadline for applications is 30th April 2010 and there is more information here.
   
• Imperial College London is seeking a Chair, Reader, Senior Lecturer and Lecturer in Medical Device Engineering to start with effect from 1st August 2010. The posts are the result of Imperial's award of almost £11 million in funding over five years from the Wellcome Trust and EPSRC for a Medical Engineering Solutions in Osteoarthritis Centre of Excellence. The new positions will be responsible for directing a research programme aimed at better early detection and monitoring of osteoarthritis to improve clinical intervention, and to monitor the efficacy and longevity of the intervention, be that conservative, surgical or pharmacological. This could be through the design of novel sensors or load cell arrangements for joint implants and the application of telemetered sensor systems for monitoring whole body and joint function, specifically the knee, during rehabilitation. Deadline for applications is 1st April 2010 and there are more details via this link.
   
• The University of Bradford's School of Engineering of Engineering, Design and Technology is looking for a PhD candidate to join a multi-disciplinary Vision and Mobility/ Biomechanics research team which is investigating the extent to which control of a prosthetic limb or foot is reliant on vision versus the sense of 'feel' from the prosthetic limb. The work is being undertaken in collaboration with a commercial partner and the deadline for applications is 1st May 2010. More details here. 

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7. Events and resources

• The Lifelong Health and Wellbeing (LLHW) Initiative, the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) are hosting a workshop on Healthy Ageing and the Physical Environment in co-operation with Tsinghua University in China. Professor Nick Tyler, Director of the LLHW CRUCIBLE Centre, will be organising and leading the workshop which takes place in Beijing on 15th and 16th May 2010. Workshop places are limited and the deadline for submission of Expressions of Interest is 5th March 2010. MRC and EPSRC will reimburse travel and accommodation expenses in China and there are more details via this link.   
   
• The Department of Health has selected North Yorkshire County Council as an exemplar provider of innovative prevention services. The Council has saved over £1 million through telecare over the last year that would otherwise have been spent on domiciliary or residential care. Details of Harrogate's use of assistive technologies for social care are here.
   
• The Institute for Public Policy Research has published a report called 'Getting On: Well-being in later life' which looks at ways to improve quality of life for people as they age. The report includes case studies of good practice in a variety of areas, including the use of assistive technology, and is available via this link. 
   
• iCREATe 2010, the 4th International Convention for Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology takes place in Shanghai from 21st to 23rd July 2010. The convention is dedicated to promoting assistive technologies to improve the lives of older and disabled people and provides a platform to address current and future development in these areas. This year's themes are 'Travel, Employment, Education, Leisure and Sports' and the call for papers is now open with a deadline of 16th April 2010. For more information, go here. 

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