United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Rehabilitation Research & Development Service

Rehabilitation Engineering and Prosthetics/Orthotics Program

Program Description

This program covers a broad range of research areas – almost any research in engineering and technology that will improve the lives of Veterans with disabilities can be supported. The program works closely with the VA's Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service to ensure that the research portfolio is aligned with the needs of our Veterans. The program also works closely with ORD's Office of Technology Transfer to ensure that when possible, successful outcomes of research become commercial products.

The breadth of the program is best illustrated by several examples from the current research portfolio. VA RR&D Centers of Excellence in this program include:

  • Functional Electrical Stimulation
  • Innovative Visual Rehabilitation (Prosthetic Retina)
  • Limb Loss Prevention and Prosthetic Engineering
  • Wheelchair and Related Technology
  • Advanced Platform Technology (APT) Center
  • Restorative and Regenerative Medicine

Examples of research areas supported as individual merit review projects include:

  • neural prostheses (motor and sensory)
  • rehabilitation robotics
  • biomechanics
  • rehabilitative telemetry
  • prosthetic sockets

Outstanding VA Career Scientists working in areas of this program include Drs. Rory Cooper (Wheeled Mobility),P. Hunter Peckham (FES), John Donoghue (Brain Computer Interfaces), Hugh Herr (Prosthetics), Joseph Rizzo (Artificial Retina), Ron Triolo (implantable technology), and Bruce Sangeorzan (prosthetics).

As of October 2008, the program is fortunate to now include a research partnership between VA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on the “Revolutionizing Prosthetics Program.” DARPA's unprecedented level of investment in this area has led to two currently funded VA projects un upper extremity prosthetics. Additional projects are anticipated in the future.

Areas of future interest and emphasis include:

  • orthotics
  • technology for individuals with cognitive impairments
  • virtual reality
  • technologies for exercise and recreation
  • potential “orphan technologies” that are specific to Veterans

An area of special opportunity at this time is for additional studies of the DARPA prosthetic arms, as well as other potential applications for these advanced prosthetic arms (e.g., wheelchair-mounted arms for Veterans with higher level spinal cord injury).

For inquiries regarding the RR&D Rehabilitation Engineering and Prosthetics/Orthotics Programs, please contact:
Patricia A. Dorn, PhD.