A Robot for the Vocational Independence of People with Tetraplegia

Principal Investigators: Machiel Van der Loos, PhD and Vandana Punj, MD

Project Staff: Inder Perkash, MD; J. Joseph Wagner, MSME; and B. Jenny Kiratli, PhD

Collaborators: Jill Storms, OTR, PAVAHCS SCIC; Judy Fong, OTR, PAVAHCS SCIC; Maria Nicolacoudis, TransAccess, San Jose, CA; and Richard Mahoney, PhD, ARC, Fairfield, NJ

Project Category: Spinal Cord Injury

The main objective of this project is to complete the evaluation and perform further development of the first ProVAR (PROfessional Vocational Assistant Robot) prototype. The desktop robot sensor system and the implementation of a new manipulator are the highest technical priorities, while the highest clinical priority is installing ProVAR in a vocational environment as a desktop assistant to veterans with high-level spinal cord injury.

Milestones Accomplished:

• User Interface Evaluation (completed)
• Technical development of sensor hardware (in progress)

Milestones for Remainder of Project:

• Completion of ProVAR development with new manipulator
• Vocational evaluation of ProVAR
• Technology Transfer of ProVAR to private sector

Funding Source: VA RR&D Merit Review

Funding Status: Funded