The Fifth International Workshop on Virtual Rehabilitation, August 29-30, 2006, New York, New York

Rutgers University New Brunswick, New Brunswick NJ

Investigators

Abstract

0628882 Burdea Virtual rehabilitation is emerging as a leading area of disability research, offering fertile grounds for innovation and creation of new technologies, and for bioengineering education. The Fifth International Workshop on Virtual Rehabilitation (IWVR 2006) responds to the NSF Research to Aid Persons with Disabilities (RAPD) Program by helping to communicate new ideas among engineers and scientists on the latest rehabilitation systems (devices and software) for persons with disabilities. Some 100 participants are projected to attend the workshop; about 70% will be technologists and about 40% women. A large international participation is expected. The workshop keynote presentation addresses challenges and opportunities, and forecasts clinical adoption of VR-based rehabilitation technology in the US and worldwide. The technical program includes a number of engineering presentations describing research on VR rehabilitation systems for the disabled, and pilot clinical data on efficacy of treatment on several patient populations. The IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMB) is a Technical Co-sponsor of the workshop, which is being held August 29-30, 2006 in the NYC Marriott Marquis Hotel in conjunction with the 2006 EMB Congress. The research results presented at IWVR06 are to be disseminated through a Special Issue of the IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering and through the IEEE online library. Media coverage of the workshop is expected to increase consumer awareness and the value of VR systems. Clinical adoption of VR systems would improve healthcare in the US and worldwide, as well as to reduce the impact disabilities have on society.