title: Integrating rehabilitation engineering technology with biologics.
abstract: Rehabilitation engineers apply engineering principles to improve function or to solve challenges faced by persons with disabilities. It is critical to integrate the knowledge of biologics into the process of rehabilitation engineering to advance the field and maximize potential benefits to patients. Some applications in particular demonstrate the value of a symbiotic relationship between biologics and rehabilitation engineering. In this review we illustrate how researchers working with neural interfaces and integrated prosthetics, assistive technology, and biologics data collection are currently integrating these 2 fields. We also discuss the potential for further integration of biologics and rehabilitation engineering to deliver the best technologies and treatments to patients. Engineers and clinicians must work together to develop technologies that meet clinical needs and are accessible to the intended patient population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs, Human Engineering Research Laboratories, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, 6425 Penn Avenue, 4th floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Collinger
authors.forename: Brad E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Dicianno
authors.forename: Douglas J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Xinyan Tracy
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Brienza
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Boninger
mesh_terms: D057005:Bioengineering / Q000379:methods*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D012656:Self-Help Devices
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products