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These proceedings represent a cross-section of the results of rehabilitation research across a range of disciplines. The 130 presentations, which deal generally with the exploitation of science and technology in the rehabilitative process, are divided among 21 sessions. Topics of the first 15 sessions are: aids to promote independent vocation and life activities, biomechanics/kinematics, improvements in wheeled mobility (papers with a clinical orientation), computer and microcomputer use, improvements in upper limb prosthetics, wheelchair design research, technology transfer, research in electrical stimulation (papers with a clinical orientation), studies in augmentative communication (papers with a clinical orientation), investigations into service delivery, functional assessment (much of it computer-assisted), rural rehabilitation, research on sensory aids, studies dealing with various aspects of lower limb orthotics and prosthetics, and more electrical stimulation research. The other six sections address these concerns: research into and aids to promote independent vocational and life activities; studies of control interfaces, including microprocessor systems; studies of biomechanics/kinematics; development and research in the area of alternative communication; development and research in wheelchair seating; and study of microprocessor system use. Twenty-two presentations from two poster sessions are also provided. Two student design papers on posture safety seats and myoelectric prosthesis control using microprocessors precede abstracts of 24 self-contained audiovisual presentations, the majority of which address clinical issues. An author index is attached. (YLB)

This volume's 301 papers are organized by 16 special interest groups, including: service delivery practice, personal transportation, augmentative and alternative communication, prosthetics and orthotics, quantitative assessment, service delivery policy, technology transfer, sensory aids, wheeled mobility and seating, electrical stimulation, computer applications, rural rehabilitation, robotics, biomechanics, information networking, and gerontology. (JDD)

These proceedings contain 271 papers in English and 15 in French, representing research and development efforts in 19 countries. On the topic of wheelchairs, 28 papers address their design, performance, evaluation, and fabrication. The field of prosthetics and orthotics is represented by 33 papers discussing devices for upper extremities, lower limbs, and evaluation and fabrication. Thirty-one papers on computers address issues relating to access, adaptations, applications, and ocular and vocal interfaces. Sections on independent living contain 34 papers relating to home and worksite modifications, ability/skill assessments, robotics, and adapted aids. Technology for the hearing handicapped is discussed in 24 papers, and 12 papers are included on technology for the visually handicapped. In the area of communication aids, 14 papers focus on the design and evaluation of various devices. The 22 papers on neural prosthetics are divided into a section on stimulation parameters and a section on functional electrical stimulation. Other sections deal with selection of technical aids, service delivery programs, technology diffusion and product development, information systems and education, biofeedback therapy, postural and seating aids, biomechanics, environmental control systems, and gait studies. (JDD)

These proceedings of the conference's Special Sessions contain 85 papers organized into the following sections: "Implant Materials and Devices,""Communication Aids,""Neural Prosthetics for the Disabled,""Current Concepts in Spinal Cord Rehabilitation,""New Models in Rehabilitation,""Communication Aids for the Hearing Impaired,""Vocational Rehabilitation,""Prosthetics and Orthotics,""Blind, Visually Impaired," and "Adaptive Aids." Included are the following papers: "Engineering Design of Implant Systems" (G. McNeice); "Communication Interaction Between Aid Users and Natural Speakers--An International Perspective" (A. Kraat); "Electrical Control of Bladder Function in the Paralyzed" (A. Talalla and J. Bloom); "Biomechanics of Spinal Reconstruction" (R. Whitehill);"Transcendence Towards an Ethics of Rehabilitation" (D. Roy); "Coding of Speech in Cochlear Implants" (M. Merzenich); "Employing Severely Disabled Persons in Computer-Related Fields" (C. Warren); "Linking Rehabilitation Technology to Rehabilitation Service Delivery" (C. Whitcraft and C. Laenger, Sr.); "The Use of Electrical Stimulation for the Treatment of Scoliosis in Children" (M. Herbert); "Technological Change and Employment of Blind and Visually Impaired People" (F. Schmidt); "Questionable Devices" (A. Enders); and "Implications of the Environment for Persons with Disabilities" (P. Cluff). (JDD)

These proceedings contain abstracts of 164 papers in the area of interdisciplinary rehabilitation research, focusing on the theme of "The Promise of Technology." The abstracts are organized into the following sections: "Home and Worksite Modification,""Computers and Microprocessor Systems,""Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation,""Transportation,""Wheelchairs,""Communication Aids,""Seating and Pressure,""Control Interfaces,""Independent Living Aids,""Functional Assessment,""Aids for Sensory Impaired,""Biofeedback and Therapeutic Equipment,""Biomechanics, Motion Analysis, and Robotics,""Recreational Equipment,""Service Delivery and Vocational Rehabilitation,""Special Session: Orthotics/Prosthetics," and "PVA (Paralyzed Veterans of America) Student Design Competition." The detailed abstracts contain diagrams, charts, graphs, photographs, and references. (JDD)

These conference proceedings deal with an interdisciplinary approach to reducing handicapping conditions and ensuring integration of and equal participation by people with disabilities in all aspects of community life. Papers from plenary sessions cover such topics as psychological and social aspects of rehabilitation, research methodology in special education, the role of randomized trials, medicolegal assessment of residual disability and employment handicap, trends in the adjustment of disabled people to the marketplace, etc. In addition, papers from working groups cover the following areas: "Critical Evaluation of Functional Improvements in Respect of Mobility, Manual Dexterity, Activities of Daily Living,""Use of Prostheses, Orthoses, and Technical Aids,""Stroke,""Evaluation of Teaching Methods, Programmes and Material in Special Education,""Behavior Modification and Therapy,""Methods of Changing the Social Environment on Purpose,""Pain Syndromes," and "Free Papers" on concentration deficit intervention, return to work after coronary artery bypass surgery, rehabilitation after hip replacement, perceptual evaluation in occupational therapy, mobility training following brain trauma, prediction of the range of hand positions available to a patient with movement restrictions at the joints of the upper limb, and others. (JDD)

These proceedings include 147 conference papers from 26 discussion sessions, 19 presentations from 6 poster sessions, and 64 works from a multimedia theater program on rehabilitation technology. Addressed in the individual sessions were the following general topics: clinical service delivery in vocational education, prosthetics and orthotics (sensory feedback/shape sensing), visual and auditory sensory aids, clinical delivery for children, technology transfer, applications of clinical service delivery, service delivery structures and policy issues, quantitative assessment, robotics, computer applications, biomechanics, functional electrical stimulation, manual and powered wheelchairs and community mobility, alternative augmentative communication, and seating. The following selective list of papers is representative: "Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities Evaluate Assistive Devices" (Brooks, Redden); "Sensory Feedback in Upper-Extremity Prosthetics" (Lovely, Hudgins); "An Optical Method for Noncontact 3-D Measurement" (Jalkio, Case); "Guidelines for the Use of Automated Learning Devices by Persons Who Are Multiply Handicapped" (Levin); "Toward Telephonic Transmission of Sign Language for the Deaf" (Foulds); "Stimulating the Manufacturing and Distribution of Rehabilitation Technology (Scadden); "A High-Speed Intraoral Switching Device for the Mobility Impaired" (Bradshaw, Pryor, DiPietro, Warfield); "A Service Delivery Model for the Provision of Specialized Seating" (Mundy and Phripp); "Software Design Methodology for Microcomputer-Based Aids: Practical Considerations in Implementation" (Demasco, Galdieri); "Nature and Proportion of Physical Impairments among Indiana's Farm Operators" (Tormoehlen, Field); "Development of an Advanced Robotic Aid" (Leifer, Michalowski, and Van der Loos); "An Independent Vocational Workstation for a Quadriplegic" (Fu); "Computer-Based Toys for Disabled Children" (Ellingson); "Rehabilitation Implications of In Vivo Hip Pressure Measurements" (Mann et al.); "Real-Time Animation of Human Walking for the Evaluation of Pathological Gait" (Morris, Larson, Donath); "Development and Use of a Robotic Arm System with Very Young, Developmentally Delayed Children" (Hoseit, Liu, Cook); "One-Finger Operation of the IBM Family of Personal Computers" (Lee, Vanderheiden, Rasmussen); "The Ultimate Wheelchair--A Mobile Platform that Permits the Person to Fully Adapt to His Environment" (Purdy); "Diagnostic Intervention to Determine Skills and System Requirements for a Nonoral, Blind, Physically Disabled Adult" (Stoveld); "Application of Multiple Workstudy Analysis in the Development of Vocabularies for Augmentative Communication Systems" (Cress, Vanderheiden); "A Methodology to Assist in the Prescription of Wheelchairs" (Shapcott et al.); "A Multidisciplinary Approach to Feeding Assessment at Gillette Children's Hospital" (Baker, Yu, Gottesman); and "Man-Lift Attachment for Paraplegic Tractor Operators" (Richey, Field). (MN)

In these proceedings are compiled 290 papers from 15 countries, demonstrating applications of rehabilitation engineering and technology. The 16 Special Interest Groups of the Association for the Advancement of Rehabilitation Technology (RESNA) present papers in the following interest areas: Service Delivery Practice, Personal Transportation, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Prosthetics and Orthotists, Quantitative Assessment, Public Policy, Technology Transfer, Sensory Aids, Wheeled Mobility and Seating, Electrical Stimulation, Computer Applications, Rural Rehabilitation, Robotics, Biomechanics, Information Networking, and Gerontology. In addition, several theme sessions were selected for the conference, and papers summarizing the state of the art in each area are included. Theme sessions included the broad categories of education, daily living, recreation, work, aging, and ethics. Material such as preface, names of the "Special Interest Groups" and titles of papers are in English and French; 15 of the 290 papers are in French and the remainder in English. (JDD)

These conference proceedings contain papers on practical applications of rehabilitation and assistive technology in vocational and educational situations as well as independent living settings. Most of the papers are two pages in length. The papers are organized into the following categories, with the number of papers in each category appearing in parentheses: personal transportation (2); electric wheelchair systems (5); computer access issues (6); aging (2); prosthetics, orthotics, and rehabilitation technology (13); interfacing power mobility and joystick controls (6); rural rehabilitation (3); information networking (5); selected alternative and augmentative communication issues (4); soft tissue pressure (6); computer hardware and expert systems software (5); functional neuromuscular stimulation for exercise and gait (6); robotics (12); quantitative assessment (12); sensory aids for the blind and deaf-blind (6); language processing in augmentative communication systems (5); computer-assisted design/computer-assisted manufacturing topics in orthotics/prosthetics (4); angle in space and seat back influences (6); evaluation of functional neuromuscular stimulation applications (6); technology transfer potpourri (6); new models (6); technology developments and augmentative communication application (5); contoured seating systems (6); computer applications (12); research analysis and survey results (5); efficient production in augmentative communication (5); clinical perspectives--mobility and communication (4); sensory aids for the deaf (5); and education and policy issues (8). Papers from poster sessions are also included. (JDD)