On anniversary of accident, paralyzed Severn man hopes for independence

There are moments in time that can forever alter your life. Evan Cronhardt’s life changed its course on April 10, 2008 as he was driving across an intersection near his Severn home. His Jeep was struck by a vehicle that may have been racing on Quarterfield Road.

Evan was thrown from his Jeep, then crushed as it rolled over on him.

He recalls the suffocating weight of of his Jeep and the tracheotomy he endured as paramedics worked to save his life.

When he awoke in a Baltimore hospital, his spine was crushed and his pelvis was broken, paralyzing him from the neck down. He started a long series of operations as doctors tried to repair his multiple broken vertebrae. Continue Reading »

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Piercing a Tongue, in the Name of Mobility

CHICAGO — Martin Mireles says his mother was not happy with his tongue piercing: It didn’t fit his image as a former church youth leader.

But as Mr. Mireles told her, it was for research. Paralyzed from a spinal cord injury since he was shot in the neck almost two decades ago, he was recently fitted with a magnetic stud that allows him to steer his wheelchair with his tongue. Continue Reading »

LSU project aims to help quadripalegics gain mobility

Like probably every other person with a severe spinal cord injury, Sloan Deumite wants to walk again. Ten LSU engineering students have spent much of their senior year trying to make that happen.

On Thursday, the students will present the first stage of a project called “Walk Again.”

The goal is to eventually produce a mechanical exoskeleton that could allow quadriplegics to walk on their own. Continue Reading »

Bike Stimulator Helping Patients with Spine Injuries

It looks like a cross between an abdominal exerciser and a stationary bike, but it’s a revolutionary approach to treating patients with spinal cord injuries.

Designed and constructed by two graduate students in the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Engineering, this device, called “Neuro Mechano Stimulator Pedals,” stimulates mechano-receptors on the lateral ridge of the sole of the foot. The hypothesis behind this device development is that simultaneous stimulation of sensory inputs and spinal reflexes may lead to neuroplasticity, causing generation of new neural pathways in the spine. Continue Reading »

New Products Offer Alternative Driving Solutions for People in Wheelchairs

Mobility Van Dealers Launch “I Hate Minivans” Ad Campaign — Showcase Accessible Alternatives at Los Angeles Abilities Expo

It’s the last thing you would think to see when opening a recent issue of Disabled Dealer, now being distributed throughout the West Coast prior to this week’s Abilities Expo being held in Los Angeles. Two of the largest accessible minivan dealers who operate in the Southern California market created an ad campaign and website titled I-Hate-Minivans.com. They will also be sharing an expansive 20 x 50 foot exhibit booth that will showcase some very unusual vehicles. Continue Reading »

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Denial of customized power wheelchairs sparks federal lawsuit

The Texas Commission on Health and Human Services’ denial of customized power wheelchairs has sparked a lawsuit in federal court.

Plaintiffs Bradley Koenning, 23, Brian Martin, 27, and Morgan Ryals, 25, all three of whom are disabled Medicaid beneficiaries, sued Thomas Suehs, executive commissioner of The Texas Commission on Health and Human Services (HHSC), on Feb. 15. Continue Reading »

Computing for a Cause: UB’s Geeks Help Disabled Veterans Talk, Surf the Web, Gain Independence

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Computer science might not be the obvious major for students looking to change the world. But two teams of University at Buffalo students are proving that programming can translate into compassion.

Last spring, Austin Miller, Robert Rodenhaus, Leonard Story Jr. and Matthew Taylor, classmates in a computer engineering class, developed OmniSwitch, a software program that enables quadriplegics and other people with limited mobility to type letters, surf the web, listen to music and play computer games with a single button or switch. Continue Reading »

Kelly Brush Foundation Awards $45K for Adaptive Sports Equipment

Inspiration Awards Enhance the Lives of Those With SCI

BURLINGTON, Vt. (Dec. 16, 2010) –The Kelly Brush Foundation awarded $45,000 in Kelly Brush Inspiration Grants for adaptive sports equipment to recipients from Maine to California, Executive Director Joyce Wallace announced.

In all, 14 individuals from across the United States who are living with spinal cord injury (SCI) received grants for adaptive equipment including monoskis and handcyles. Continue Reading »