Professor in the School of Industrial Design at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Stephen Sprigle is a Professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology with appointments in Bioengineering, Industrial Design and the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. A biomedical engineer with a license in physical therapy, Dr. Sprigle directs the Rehabilitation Engineering and Applied Research Lab (REARLab) which focuses on applied disability research and development.  The REARLab’s research interests include the biomechanics of wheelchair seating and posture, pressure ulcer prevention, and manual wheelchair propulsion. Its development activities include standardized wheelchair and cushion testing and the design of assistive and diagnostic technologies. Dr. Sprigle teaches design-related classes in both the Schools of Industrial Design and Mechanical Engineering.

Assistive technology has been around for – literally- centuries, yet in the United States, we are still struggling with demonstrating the effectiveness and value of AT. This hinders access to technology and the development of new technologies. This presentation will frame an argument for deploying a new approach to studying AT. Using examples of current and conceived effort, the ‘way forward’ should include, the study both utility and usability of AT, assessing ‘value’ of AT, and utilizing clinically-relevant methodologies, including large datasets with accessible information.