Welcome to the Assistive Devices Studies Page

DURATION: About 45 minutes

MyPaTH Story Booth – COVID-19 Stories

Participants are invited to share how they are maintaining their health during the coronavirus pandemic, or to share what it is like being ill with COVID-19 and/or caring for a loved one who is ill with COVID-19. Participation in this research study involves one 45-minute session that takes place over the phone. Eligible participants must be able to read and understand English.

VISITS: No in-person visits

LOCATION: By phone

COMPENSATION: $10 gift card/story with a maximum of 2 stories, for a total of $20

VISITS: 1 visit or phone call

MyPaTH Story Booth 2.0

Interested in sharing your story about health, illness, or research? Patients and caregivers are needed to participate in a research study to help learn more about topics that are important to you and that may improve health and health care. Participation involves one 45-minute session that takes place over the phone. Eligible participants must be able to read and understand English.

DURATION: 45 minutes

LOCATION: By phone

COMPENSATION: Up to $20

Real World Testing of AAC-BCI

Do have a have a severe disability, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, or locked-in syndrome? If so, you may be interested in participating in a study that would provide an augmentative and alternative communication system with brain computer interface access that could be used in the home. Eligible participants require wheelchair assistive technology.

Speech and Language Disorders

AGE: 18 and up

DURATION: Up to 2 years

VISITS: Monthly visits to your home

LOCATION: ICAN Talk Clinic – Carnegie, PA & your home

COMPENSATION: NONE

Electrode Headgear Testing Study

Do you use an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device or do you have ALS? If so, you may be interested in helping researchers by testing a newly designed dry electrode headset. Involves 1 session lasting up to 4 hours that will include communication tasks, such as copying sentences and describing a picture, along with completion of an online survey. Compensation is provided.

Speech and Language Disorders

AGE: 18 and up

DURATION: Up to 4 hours

VISITS: 1

LOCATION: Forbes Tower – Oakland or ICAN Talk Clinic – Carnegie, PA

COMPENSATION: $50.00

Smart Speaker and Skill Use: What do We Know?

Do you have a physical, visual or mild cognitive disability? Do you use a smart speaker 3 times a week or more? You may be eligible to participate in a research study to learn about persons with disabilities experiences using smart speaker skills. Compensation provided.

VISITS: 1 online survey and 1 focus group

Caregiver Health

Cataracts

Chromosomal Disorders

And 11 more areas

AGE: 18 and over

LOCATION: Online or in person

COMPENSATION: $25

REGISTRY

VISITS: None Required

Movement Disorders Research Registry

Do you have a movement disorder? If so, you may be able to participate in the Movement Disorders Registry. This registry is a list of individuals who are interested in being contacted about future research studies.

LOCATION: By email or phone

COMPENSATION: NONE

Barriers for Dysvascular Amputees

Do you have a lower limb amputation due to a vascular complication or diabetes? Are you a healthcare provider that works with people with amputations? You may be able to participate in a research study identifying barriers that exist for people throughout the amputation process. Compensation is provided.

Other Physical Disability

Physical Disability and Rehabilitation

And 3 more areas

AGE: 18 and over

DURATION: 4 hours total

VISITS: Zoom or Microsoft Teams video calls

COMPENSATION: Up to $125

REGISTRY

Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) Registry

Do you use an assistive device like a wheelchair, scooter, prosthesis (artificial limb), or cane? Are you interested in learning about research related to assistive technology? If so, you may be able to join the Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) Registry. Participants will be informed of current and future research studies, but are not obligated to participate in a research study.

LOCATION: University of Pittsburgh

AGE: 18 and up

COMPENSATION: NONE

In-wheel Suspension Study for Manual Wheelchair Users

Do you have a spinal cord injury which occurred at least one year ago and use a manual wheelchair full time (30+ hours per week)? You may be able to participate in a study to examine how in-wheel suspension in manual wheelchairs changes vibrational exposure and how this impacts pain and fatigue. This study involves 2 in-person visits and 12-weeks of in-wheel suspension use. Compensation provided.

DURATION: 12 weeks

VISITS: 1-2

LOCATION: Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) – East Side, or in-home & via Zoom

COMPENSATION: up to $250

Spinal Cord Stimulation for the treatment of motor deficits in people with Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Are you affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy? You may be able to participate in a research study using spinal cord stimulation (SCS), an approved clinical therapy for pain syndromes that do not respond to drugs. Unexpectedly, SCS has shown the ability to promote the recovery of leg motor function in people with complete motor paralysis in consequence of spinal cord injury years after injury.

DURATION: 9 months

VISITS: 35 visits

LOCATION: UPMC Presbyterian

COMPENSATION: $1750

SCS-90 Study

Do you have a leg amputation above the ankle and below the knee? Did your amputation occur more than 6 months ago? You may be able to participate in a research study to help develop a neuroprosthetic device that stimulates nerves with the goal of producing sensations that feel like they come from the amputated limb. Eligible participants are 22-70 years old. Compensation is provided.

Other Bones, Joints, and Muscles

DURATION: Up to 9 months

And 1 more area

AGE: 22-70

VISITS: Up to 50

LOCATION: University of Pittsburgh - Oakland

COMPENSATION: up to $3,300

A Sensorimotor Microelectrode Brain-Machine Interface

Do you have little or no ability to use your hands due to a cervical spinal cord injury, brainstem stroke, or spinal stroke? Are you aged 22-70? If so, you may be eligible to take part in a research study involving brain-machine interface (BMI) technology. BMI technology uses signals recorded from the brain to control devices such as a computer or a robotic limb. Compensation provided.

Featured Research

Other Bones, Joints, and Muscles

And 2 more areas

AGE: 22 - 70

DURATION: 25 months

VISITS: Multiple

LOCATION: UPMC Presbyterian Hospital – Oakland

COMPENSATION: Up to $14,810 & travel costs

Remote Wheelchair Maintenance Training Program

Do you use a wheelchair as your primary means of mobility (over 40 hours a week) due to a traumatic spinal cord injury? If so, you may be interested in participating in a research study to find out if an online training program designed to teach people how to improve wheelchair maintenance techniques is effective. Compensation provided.

Other Bones, Joints, and Muscles