Biomedical subjects

B R Seeger

Publications and source records attributed to B R Seeger.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1991

Wheelchair occupant restraints in motor vehicles.

The issue of safety for wheelchair users in motor vehicles has been raised in Australia by parents of young people with disabilities. Investigations revealed that wheelchair users were not covered by any legislated safety requirements, and each case received special dispensation from compliance with regulations covering the able-bodies population. Dynamic testing of restraint systems at the University of Michigan had revealed that existing systems were unsafe. Dynamic tests confirmed those findings on systems used at that time in Australia. Testing led to the design, development and marketing of a new wheelchair occupant and restraint system which remains a system of choice for use by organisations where the same people use the same buses in the same position each day. Australian Standard 2942-1987, Wheelchair Occupant Restraint Assemblies for Use in Motor Vehicles, has since been developed. It establishes design and performance requirements for these restraints and includes details of dynamic testing procedures. This paper describes the development of the above restraint system and the subsequent Australian Standard.

Restraint, Physical↗

PubMed1991

Toy Control Program evaluation.

The Toy Control Program for the Apple IIe microcomputer is a software and hardware package developed for the training of single-switch scanning skills. The specially designed scanning programs provide on screen visual feedback and activate a battery-powered toy to reinforce performance. This study examined whether the training of preschool subjects in single-switch scanning skills with the Toy Control Program would result in increased task completion scores and increased levels of attention to task, as compared with conditions of toy activation only and microcomputer programs with screen reinforcement only. The results showed that the subjects paid significantly more attention to the toys as reinforcers (p less than .01). No significant difference was found for the performance results of the three conditions. These findings support the use of a program like the Toy Control Program, which integrates the instructional capabilities of a computer with the reinforcement potential of a toy and the creativity of a therapist.

Cerebral Palsy↗

PubMed1990

Comparative evaluation of chargers for wheelchair gel cell batteries.

This study was undertaken as part of our ongoing work to upgrade wheelchair quality. Laboratory tests were conducted to determine which battery chargers would ensure that the user's batteries are fully charged each night and also ensure that the battery lifetime was not diminished. Five commercial chargers were tested on a standardised pair of gel cell batteries of a type commonly used to power wheelchairs. Results of this study indicate a clear preference between chargers. As a result, we have changed the chargers we purchase. We anticipate that our clients will now experience longer life from their wheelchair gel cell batteries.

Electric Power Supplies↗

PubMed1989

Functional electrical stimulation for upper limb strengthening in traumatic quadriplegia.

The hypothesis of this study was that the functional electrical stimulation (FES)-assisted exercise of partially paralyzed arm muscles would result in significantly greater muscle strength in the arms of spinal cord injured quadriplegics than equal periods of conventional isotonic exercise. Single muscles were studied in seven subjects in a crossover design consisting of equal periods of FES-assisted exercise and conventional exercise. It was concluded that for these subjects using this exercise regime, neither FES-assisted exercise nor conventional exercise produced improvements in maximum voluntary force that were either statistically or functionally significant. The results, although disappointing, have helped these subjects to be more realistic about the potential therapeutic benefits of FES.

Adult↗

PubMed1985

Skill evaluator and trainer for electrically operated devices: an evaluation of the SET.

Our hypothesis was that the abilities of disabled people to control electrically-powered assistive devices could be reliably and objectively assessed by means of a portable, lightweight and inexpensive device, the Skill Evaluator and Trainer (SET), and that training on the SET would improve skill. Our approach was to use SET with a variety of interfaces and subject groups. SET produced a valid assessment of the skills of disabled people with particular interfaces, it improved skills when used as a training aid, and it was well accepted by clients and therapists.

Adolescent↗