Rancho REP: Past and Present

The Rancho Rehabilitation Engineering Program (Rancho REP) has been an important component of Rancho’s rehabilitation program since the 1960s when major contributions were made to the development of orthoses, skeletal fixation systems and powered wheelchairs.

During the 70s and 80s, the Rehabilitation Engineering Program was at the forefront of studies on functional electrical stimulation. The technology, techniques and publications emanating from that research had a significant impact on that field.

Since 1992, the focus of the Rehabilitation Engineering Program has been on developing technology for children with orthopedic disabilities with an emphasis on prosthetics and orthotics. Early projects were aimed at prosthetic hand development, contracture bracing, early signs of readiness to drive power wheelchairs, a brochure to assist funding of technology, and building a library of technology resources. Subsequent projects have continued work on a child’s prosthetic hand, initiated design and development of a new mobile arm support, studied advanced composite materials and their use in lower limb bracing, and developed a model for provision of powered mobility to very young children. This work has been done by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Technology for Children with Orthopedic Disabilities.

The RERC on Spinal Cord Injury, which was funded in 2002, brings together our staff with investigators from Rancho and neighboring universities to address the needs of persons with a spinal cord injury. Initial projects include a device needs survey, an improved mobile arm support, techniques for propelling a wheelchair without shoulder damage, improved wheelchair suspension systems, a gait training robotic assistant, and adapted exercise devices.

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REP Staff

Administration:

• Philip S. Requejo, PhD
• Robert Waters, MD
• Rodney Adkins, PhD
• Linda Sutherland
• Juan Garibay

Engineering:

• Pierre Leung, MSME
• Somboon Maneekobkunwong, MSME
• Grigor Kerdanyan, MSME
• Artin Davidian, BSME
• Wade Ichinose, MSME
• Angel Silva

Prosthetics & Orthotics:

• Roger Weber, CPO

Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy:

• Jane Baumgarten, OT
• Michal Atkins, MA
• Jan Furumasu, PT
• Eunice Sumi, OTR
• Donita Tefft
• Lynn Yasuda, MSED, OTR, FAOTA
• Paula Guerette, PhD (Psychologist)

Machine Shop:

• James McCracken(Manufacturing Engineer)

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Last modified: April 6, 2006