Guidelines for Authors: The Innovator

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The Innovator is a forum for the dissemination of information and discussion of issues and ideas related to the role of consumers in the research and design of rehabilitation and assistive technology. The newsletter is distributed nationally and includes the following general topics:

• Theories of research, organizations, and product design
• Government policy
• Industry policy, practice, and standards
• Tips on best practices--"what's working now"
• Personal narratives and perspectives

BACKGROUND:

The Innovator is the newsletter of the Consumer Innovation Laboratory (ConLab), one of the projects in the RERC on Rehabilitation Robotics. The ConLab is a research effort designed to examine the incorporation of people with various physical or sensory disabilities (consumers) into the design of product used for and by people with disabilities.

Consumers work as peers with staff engineers in the development of devices to meet specific consumer needs. The benefits of this partnership are threefold. First, consumer involvement ensures that the design and function of rehabilitation technology meets the REAL needs of REAL people. Second, the engineering staff is provided with firsthand experience with the needs of people with disabilities. Third, the consumers themselves are introduced to the product design process.

AUDIENCES:

• Consumers with disabilities
• Federal government agencies concerned with disability issues (NIDRR)
• State-level programs (State Tech Acts/Governors' Committees)
• Researchers
• Companies/Manufacturers/Developers

TYPICAL CONTENT:

Technical Notes/Technical Review (250 words): Discusses innovative research and/or the development of devices in which the consumer has played a significant role

Abstract on Consumer Innovation (250 to 350 words)

Guest Editorial (250 to 500 words): Guest editor chooses his/her own focus, with guidance from the Innovator editorial staff

Center of Excellence Department (350 to 400 words): Profiles of organizations with exemplary policy and programs

Product Spotlight (350 to 400 words): A product or concept that features input from consumers

Consumer Corner (250 to 350 words): Interviews and/or viewpoint pieces by consumers involved in the design process

Other related features (350 to 500 words)

Calendar/Articles and Publications of interest

PUBLISHED BY:

URL of this document: http://www.asel.udel.edu/robotics/conlab/innovator2/author.html
Last updated: January 29, 1997
Applied Science and Engineering Laboratories, 1997.