Wheelchairs News and Research

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$1.6 million to develop gene therapy strategies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a fatal, childhood-onset disease

The Muscular Dystrophy Association has announced it has awarded $1.6 million to Asklepios, a biotechnology company closely allied with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to develop gene therapy strategies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a fatal, childhood-onset disease.

23 Jul 2004

New hereditary spastic paraplegia research

In work reported this week, researchers have taken our understanding of HSP to a new level with the development of an animal model for the disease.

13 Jul 2004

Prosthetic devices operated by brain activity

In the July 9 issue of the journal Science, California Institute of Technology neuroscientists Sam Musallam, Brian Corneil, Bradley Greger, Hans Scherberger, and Richard Andersen report on the Andersen lab's success in getting monkeys to move the cursor on a computer screen by merely thinking about a goal they would like to achieve, and assigning a value to the goal.

8 Jul 2004

Delphi expands medical footprint

Delphi Medical Systems Corporation, a subsidiary of Delphi Corporation, recently signed a licensing agreement with Switzerland-based medical device company Debiotech, S.A.

29 Jun 2004

John Kerry pushes for new cures and treatments for Alzheimer’s

Drawing on the inspiration of Nancy Reagan and millions of families who bravely comfort suffering loved ones, Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry Saturday said we must lift the barriers that stand in the way of science to find new cures and treatments for Alzheimer’s and other diseases through stem cell research.

14 Jun 2004

Joint framework for partnership action on disability

The Partnership Framework will help the NHS comply with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995. The Act requires that service providers must not discriminate or provide a poorer quality of service to disabled people because of their disability.

10 Jun 2004

Model of the central nervous system will allow oncologists and neurosurgeons to target tumours more effectively

A larger-than-life model of the human central nervous system including the brain and spinal cord, which will allow oncologists and neurosurgeons to target tumours more effectively, will be among a range of student projects on display at an event at The University of Nottingham this week.

2 Jun 2004

Nelson Mandela backs call for equality amongst disabled people

Scope, the leading national disability organisation, today launches its Time To Get Equal campaign to end discrimination and prejudice against the UK’s 10 million disabled people.

26 May 2004

Scientists aim to develop an intelligent robotic wheelchair

Researchers from the Department of Computer Science will work alongside scientists from the Institute of Automation at Beijing in developing the advanced technology needed for a high performance, low cost RoboChair which will enable the elderly and disabled to gain increased mobility and live more independently.

20 May 2004

Study finds British hospitals are still austere, cold, smelly and poorly maintained

Previous surveys of UK hospitals have highlighted many deficiencies in the standards of hospital inpatient washing and bathing facilities—especially inadequate access for wheelchair users, insufficient bathing equipment, and unsatisfactory cleanliness and privacy.

6 May 2004

£35m needed to boost M.E./Chronic Fatigue Syndrome research

National charity Action for M.E. is asking the government for £35 million to find a cure for M.E. - also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. With government plans to boost medical research funding to £1.2bn per year M.E. research must be considered a priority area of investment.

27 Mar 2004

Brain signals could act as remote controls

In their first human studies of the feasibility of using brain signals to operate external devices, researchers at Duke University Medical Center report that arrays of electrodes can provide useable signals for controlling such devices. The research team is now working to develop prototype devices that may enable paralyzed people to operate "neuroprosthetic" and other external devices using only their brain signals.

25 Mar 2004