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Rehabilitation engineering is the application of engineering principles, science and technology to improve the quality of life for those with physical disabilities. Areas addressed include mobility, communication, driving, independent living, and recreation.

Rehabilitation Engineering at TOHRC is the only facility in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec that provides a full range of rehabilitation engineering services which includes clinical services, technology assessment, and research and development.

Clinical Service

Rehabilitation engineering provides professional engineering consultation, design and construction of custom rehabilitation devices. A new custom device can be created or an existing device can be modified to meet the unique needs and abilities of an individual client when no suitable device is available. Often a well-designed change to an existing product can greatly increase a client’s level of independence and quality of life.

Education and Training

Our professional engineers are licensed through Professional Engineers Ontario, (PEO), and Ordre des ingénieurs du
Québec, (OIQ).  A certificate of authorization granted by PEO allows rehabilitation engineering at TOHRC to provide professional engineering services to the public.

Rehabilitation Engineering contributes to student education through the support of University of Ottawa students studying at TOHRC’s Centre for Rehabilitation Research and Development (CRRD). We also have participated in several projects with students from Algonquin College.

Research

In addition to providing clinical services for individuals with physical disabilities, our team is also involved in many research and development projects. Partners and clients include TOHRC clinicians, researchers from CRRD, the University of Ottawa, and private companies. Research and development focus areas include new assistive technologies for persons with disabilities, clinical tools to assist clinicians in delivering care and custom instrumentation for research. Many research and development services are available on a fee-for-service basis, such as custom design and prototyping.

Rehabilitation technology evaluations are usually performed in conjunction with the Assistive Devices Program (ADP) of the Ontario Ministry of Health. Before ADP will include a new product on their list of products eligible for funding assistance, it undergoes engineering and clinical evaluations conducted at TOHRC. Rehabilitation technology evaluations are also available to private companies not associated with ADP.

More information:

About our research

Patricia O’Neill, P.Eng.,
Research Engineer/Discipline Leader
The Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre
Room 1401
505 Smyth Road, Ottawa ON Canada, K1H 8M2
Phone: 613-737-8899 ext. 75482
Email: poneill@toh.ca

Last updated on: March 9th, 2021