Welcome to the Other Physical Disability Studies Page

CURRENT STUDIES THAT MAY INTEREST YOU

Smart Speaker and Skill Use: What do We Know?

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

Assistive Devices

Caregiver Health

Cataracts

Chromosomal Disorders

And 11 more areas

AGE: 18 and over

VISITS: 1 online survey and 1 focus group

LOCATION: Online or in person

COMPENSATION: $25

Sensorimotor Imaging for Brain-Computer Interfaces – Individuals with ALS

Have you been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)? Has this caused a decrease or absent feeling in your hands/fingers? If so, you may be eligible to participate in a study using fMRI to map arm and hand-related brain activity in the part of the brain that generates movement signals and feels touch. This study involves 1-2 visits. Compensation and parking provided.

Assistive Devices

Mobility Aids

Other Brain and Nervous System

Other Physical Disability

And 2 more areas

AGE: 18 and up

DURATION: 4 hours

VISITS: 1-2

LOCATION: UPMC Presbyterian Hospital - Oakland

COMPENSATION: $150 & validated parking

NO IN-PERSON VISITS

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

VISITS: 1 visit or phone call

LOCATION: By phone

COMPENSATION: Up to $20

NO IN-PERSON VISITS

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.

DURATION: About 45 minutes

VISITS: No in-person visits

LOCATION: By phone

COMPENSATION: Up to $20

NO IN-PERSON VISITS

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.

Assistive Devices

Mobility Aids

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

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

All of Us Pennsylvania Research Program

You may be able to change the future of medicine. The All of Us PA Research Program is enrolling adults 18 years of age or older. This may be your chance to improve how your children and your children’s children receive medical care.

VISITS: one in person visit

LOCATION: Convenient locations throughout Pennsylvania

COMPENSATION: $25.00 gift card

Caregiver Assisted Transfer Technique Instrument (CATT) Evaluation Study – Caregiver

Do you routinely provide transfer assistance to an adult with a physical disability? You and your care recipient may be able to participate in a study to evaluate CATT by using it to find out how individuals with physical disabilities and their caregivers perform assisted transfers. Eligible participants have served as a caregiver for at least 3 months. Compensation is provided.

Caregiver Health

Other Physical Disability

AGE: 18 and up

DURATION: Up to 3.5 hours

VISITS: 2 visits and 2 online assessments

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

COMPENSATION: UP to $125

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.

Assistive Devices

Featured Research

Mobility Aids

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

Restoring Sensation after Arm Amputation

Do you have an amputation of one or both arms? Are you between 18 and 70? If so, you may be able to take part in a research study designed to develop new technologies that may improve prosthetic (artificial limb) control and reduce phantom limb pain. Compensation provided.

Other Bones, Joints, and Muscles

Other Injuries/Injury Prevention

Other Physical Disability

AGE: 18 - 70

DURATION: Up to 9 months

VISITS: Up to 25 visits

LOCATION: University of Pittsburgh

COMPENSATION: Up to $1,250

RELATED RESEARCH AREAS:

Physical Disability and Rehabilitation