Research Centers
Center for Assistive Technology
website: http://cat.buffalo.edu/
The Center for Assistive Technology conducts research, education, and service to increase knowledge about assistive devices for persons with functional impairments of all ages. The Center works in four related areas: Research, Development, Transfer, and Commercialization of advanced technologies and assistive devices; Education Programs for professionals, students, and consumers; Client Assessment & Training Services in computer access for education & employment; Dissemination of best practices and information about assistive technology devices and services.
Activities within these four project areas are multidisciplinary, involving departmental faculty from architecture and planning, communicative disorders and sciences, counseling and educational psychology, geriatric medicine, law, mechanical, electrical, and industrial engineering, nursing, rehabilitation sciences, rehabilitation medicine, and special education.
website: http://sphhp.buffalo.edu/chr/
The Center for Health Research (CHR) is a research facility located on the first floor of Farber Hall. The facility consists of administrative areas as well as rooms and equipment for conducting research on a variety of topics.
Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange
website: http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/
The mission of the federally funded Center for International Rehabilitation Research (CIRRIE) is to facilitate the sharing of information and expertise between the U.S. and other countries.
CIRRIE has developed a database of international rehabilitation research. The database may be searched by subject, author, country, title, year and other parameters. CIRRIE is expanding its existing database and synthesizes information from it for dissemination to target audiences. CIRRIE is also developing an online, multi-lingual encyclopedia of rehabilitation in English, Spanish and French. To support collaborative activities between the U.S. and other countries, CIRRIE conducts four types of international exchange programs.
The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) provides the conceptual framework for CIRRIE and is one of its principal themes. CIRRIE sponsors workshops on the ICF and will conduct an international conference on the ICF in June 2007 in Niagara Falls. CIRRIE will also coordinate a "community of practice" on the ICF through online discussions, as well as monthly teleconferences.
CIRRIE also develops initiatives in the area of cultural competence, and is currently focusing on pre-service education within university programs. The strategy is to create new curriculum materials tailored to four professional programs: speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and rehabilitation counseling. Curriculum design will integrate material into existing courses.
Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technology Transfer
website: http://t2rerc.buffalo.edu
The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technology Transfer (T2RERC) is a national center funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research and is part of the Center for Assistive Technology. The T2RERC facilitates the development and commercialization of products benefiting people with disabilities and the elderly. The T2RERC website provides an overview of technology transfer, four research and four development projects, research outcomes, commercialized products, center publications, links, and seminars and workshops. The T2RERC is nationally recognized for its capabilities in technology transfer, product design and assistive technology.
WHO Collaborating Centre on Health and Housing
website: http://sphhp.buffalo.edu/hih/
The University at Buffalo's Center on Health and Housing is a collaborative activity of the School of Public Health and Health Professions and the School of Architecture and Planning. Co-directors are Drs. John Stone and Edward Steinfeld. As of April 2008 this center has been re-designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre until 2012.
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