Examples of Active Coleman Institute Funded Research
Since 2001, the Coleman Institute has provided more than 150 grants for research, conference support and other related activities. Some examples of funded research are highlighted below.
The primary activity of the Institute is to provide grants for cognitive disability and technology research and development to CU faculty on all campuses of the university. The Institute makes grants that provide seed funding for research that may lead to patent-protected intellectual property and ultimately, commercialization. Coleman Institute research commitments have also assisted CU faculty in securing significant grant funding from Federal and private agencies.
Federally-funded Center Grants Co-Funded by the Coleman Institute
Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for the Advancement of Cognitive Technologies [RERC-ACT] Co-funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) and the Coleman Institute, 2004-2009 and 2009-2014.
Cathy Bodine, PhD, Associate Professor, Rehabilitation Medicine Department, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, is the principal investigator, and Michael Lightner, PhD, Professor and Chair, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, co-principal investigator.
RERC-ACT I incorporated 13 separate projects on all four campuses of the University of Colorado in nine different academic units. Research partners from four other research universities in Illinois, California, Michigan and Kansas also participated. Other collaborators include the Institute for Matching Persons and Technology, Inc., AbleLink Technologies, Inc., AT Sciences, LLC, and CaringFamily. Projects fell into five categories: needs assessment projects; community living and technology; health, family support and technology; education, employment and technology; and technology standards development.
RERC-ACT II builds on past successes and introduces new elements of research and development of cognitive technologies across the life span. Efforts are focused in three main areas:
- creating a product usability testing facility to focus rigorous industry-standard product testing protocols on cognitive assistive technology,
- developing a core software/sensor platform to support mobile animated agents used for multiple applications, and
- developing Standards, an important missing link for cognitive technology Information Technology access and technologies.
From non-linear job coaching to Socially Assistive Robots, the projects are challenging, creative and show great promise in improving quality of life for people with cognitive disabilities, their families and their caregivers.
The titles of the projects appear below. For descriptions of the projects please go to RERC-ACT.
Product Testing Laboratory (R1)
Non-Linear Context-Aware Prompting System [N-CAPS] for Persons with Cognitive Disabilities: a 12 month pilot feasibility study (R2)
Effects of a Mobile-Based Skill Building Coaching Technology Intervention for People with Cognitive Disabilities: a 6-month randomized controlled-pilot feasibility study (R3)
Cognitive Decline, Work and Technological Interruptions (R4)
Theory and Simulation-based Vocabulary Development for Employment: An Analysis of the Word Maturity Method for Adult Workers with Mild Cognitive Impairments (R5)
Early Developmental Skills Acquisition and Socially Assistive Robotics [SARS]: A Pilot Investigation of Effectiveness (R6)
Development of Uniform Standards for Cognitive Technologies (D1)
Interactive Animated Agents Platform Development for Cognitive Technologies at Home, School, Work and Community [IAAP] (D2)
Non-Linear Context-Aware Prompting System [N-CAPS] for Adults with Cognitive Disabilities in the Workplace (D3)
Mobile Coach for Vocational Application (D4)
The Socially Interactive Early Childhood Robotics [SAR] Project (D5)
Inclusive Collaboration Technology for Employment and Participation (D6)
Combined Coleman Institute Funding Support for
RERC-ACT I and II = $1.6 million
Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Recreation Technology [RERC-RecTech] Co-funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research [NIDRR], 2007- 2012, in partnership with the University of Illinois at Chicago
Jane Mulligan, PhD, Assistant Research Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado at Boulder.
RecTech is dedicated to using technology to promote healthy, active lifestyles for people with disabilities. The CU subcontract focuses on the use of virtual exercise environments for people with disabilities.
Coleman Institute Funding Support: $90,000
Coleman Institute Scientist in Residence: Special Projects
Clayton Lewis, PhD., Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado at Boulder and the Coleman Institute Scientist in Residence.
The role of the scientist in residence is to identify and support the most promising efforts in shaping mainstream technology to serve the interests of people with cognitive disabilities. Current efforts are centered on the following areas:
- Cognitive accessibility on the World Wide Web
- Personal mobile platforms
- Vocabulary enhancement
- Social software
- Workshops on cognitive technology
- Encouraging student projects in cognitive assistive technology
- Dissemination through presentations and publications
Coleman Institute Funding Support: $550,000
Center for Aging: A Special Focus on Aging and Developmental Disabilities
Sara Qualls, PhD, Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, principal investigator
The Institute provides core funding for the growth and development of the PhD program in geropsychology including graduate fellowships, research support, conference travel, and matching grants.
Coleman Institute Funding Support: $280,000