Engaging rehabilitation technologies: making things happen

Abstract

For some people, the word “technology” in rehabilitation brings to mind equipment and assistive devices. For others – it is a brave new frontier where robotic advance means many of the functional consequences of impairment are/will be alleviated, and many roles health professionals and carers currently perform will disappear. Like most things in life, a simplistic interpretation in complexity rarely capture what is truly going on. This is certainly true for rehabilitation technologies where devices are clearly important for our clients and for our professions but, it is not just about gadgets – it is far more than that. Of the numerous definitions available, most have in common a notion of tools to apply knowledge to practical issues or, as noted in the Britannica Concise Encyclopaedia []: “Whereas science is concerned with how and why things happen, technology focuses on making things happen”.

Keywords::

• Technology
• rethinking rehabilitation
• outcomes
• disability
• user perspectives

Acknowledgements

Particular thanks go to all participants of the special issue meeting (including all lead authors other than Lange). In addition, thanks go to Professor Skip Rizzo and Professor Judy Deutsch, Dr Suzie Mudge, Dr Paula Kersten and Dr. Alice Theadom who all contributed as discussants.

Declaration of Interest:T hanks go to ABI Rehabilitation Ltd. for providing funding to host the meeting and to Professor Dave Muller and the publishers for their support in putting the special issue together.