HIGH-TECH

Contemporary American and Israeli Art

Agam
Abacassis
Avizedek
Daphna
Knapp

Peter Max
Ruth
Shemi
Tarkai
Vasarely

October: Originals & Graphics by I. Tarkai

November: "The Art of Animation,"
Reception; Nov. 10, 7.10 pm

Danielle Peleg Gallery

Crosswinds Mall
4301 Orchard Lake Rd.
Suite 103
West Bloomfield, MI 48322

Hours:
Monday-Saturday 10-6
Sunday 12-5

Phone: (313) 626-5810

Functional & decorative arts by
nationally recognized artists -
art furniture & lighting, collector-quality
crafts, fine art, jewelry & unique
hand-crafted gifts.

ARTFUL DOMAIN

THE DAMON/BURDICK GALLERY

700 N. Woodward • Birmingham • 646-2030
(5 doors south of the Claymore Shops) Tues-Sat 11.5

60

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tion (NASA). As a result, the Research
Triangle Institute, in North Carolina,
worked with NASA to develop a light-
weight wheelchair made of graphite.
The 24-pound wheelchair is easier to
use, easier to fold and move in and
out of a car and is as durable as the
heavier 50-pound model.
Many universities now have
centers for research and rehabilita-
tion, helping people with severe
disabilities adapt to their environ-
ment. At the Georgia Institute of
Technology, for example, the Center
for Rehabilitation Technology (CRT)
recently designed a computer work
station with a robotic assist for a
young man who became a
quadriplegic after an auto accident.
As reported in the newsletter of the
National Rehabilitation Information
Center, CRT is developing prototypes
of the robot arm. If made light
enough, small arms could be placed
on wheelchairs for mobile or home
use. The device could respond to a
user's voice, operate appliances,
place a glass in front of a paralyzed
person who would drink through a
straw, or turn the pages of a book.
CRT is also developing a computer
keyboard with an extra keypad that
has a Braille cover for frequently
used commands.
Medical practitioners, engineers
and scientists combine their exper-
tise to design techniques and de-
vices for the handicapped in what
are known as rehabilitation engineer-
ing centers (RECs). Funded by the
National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research, the 16
centers are located at hospitals or
universities.
According to Dr. Joseph Traub, the
National Institute's Director of
Rehabilitation Technology, the
centers do design new technologies,
but use existing technologies to
develop solutions for disabled peo-
ple. The RECs modify technological
advances from NASA or industry or
the Department of Defense into
useable form.
Each of the RECs has its own par-
ticular assignment: researching pros-
thetic or orthotic design; developing
more effective communication aids
for persons with severe disabilities;
designing and developing new pros-
thetic and orthotic procedures and
adapted personal vehicles that en-