Rehabilitation engineering creates specialized equipment to improve the quality of life for disabled people. Engineers design orthotic, mechanical, electronic, and assistive devices to meet individual needs. Patients must meet suitability requirements and undergo evaluation to determine if they can benefit from a specialized product. Rehabilitation engineering exists in most First World countries and can be found in hospitals, clinics, or independent facilities.
Rehabilitation engineering refers to the development, design and application of rehabilitation technology. Engineers working in this field try to find ways to assist disabled people by providing a technological solution to everyday problems. Custom rehabilitation equipment, including specialized walkers, hearing aids, and other devices, are typically created by rehabilitation engineers.
Rehabilitation engineers spend most of their time designing orthotic, mechanical, electronic, and assistive devices. All of these elements are then used to help people cope with specific disabilities. Rehabilitation engineering facilities often create specialized equipment based on the client’s needs. The primary purpose of a rehabilitation engineer is to improve a person’s quality of life by designing specialized equipment. These engineers can work in hospitals, clinics or independently.
Often, mass rehab products don’t meet the needs of many individuals—in this case, one size doesn’t fit all. In response to this dilemma, rehabilitation engineering works to create specialized products for each person. Then, through a thorough assessment, a rehabilitation engineer can modify an existing product or create a new product based on a person’s needs. Any person in need of specialized rehabilitation equipment can generally benefit from rehabilitation engineering. To obtain a uniquely designed product, disabled people must meet certain suitability requirements.
These requirements differ drastically depending on the type of health facility offering rehabilitation engineering. While some facilities will offer help to any patient who needs it, other facilities may have certain criteria set out. Regardless, anyone being considered for an engineered product must go through a thorough scrutiny.
While this type of evaluation can vary, rehabilitation engineers generally look for two things during each evaluation. The first thing an engineer will notice is whether a patient can, in fact, benefit from a specialized product. Second, the product a patient is currently using must be insufficient. In short, rehabilitation engineers won’t consider a patient who has a perfectly effective product. A product’s effectiveness is determined through a series of intense tests.
Without rehabilitation engineering, people struggling with a disability would have to contend with mediocre rehabilitation equipment. This type of engineering exists in most First World countries. If you think you may benefit from customized rehabilitation equipment, please contact your local hospital, clinic or other health facility. Alternatively, there are some independent rehabilitation engineering groups. These facilities can be found by doing a basic internet search.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
