Archive for July 2009
Board Minutes Updated on Website
You can now view the Board Minutes for June 2009 on Harvesting Capabilities website.
How non-institutional long-term care services reduce Medicaid spending
On June 30, Dr. H. Stephen Kaye of the University of California, San Francisco will present a free webinar explaining how home and community-based services impact Medicaid spending. After studying ten years of Medicaid spending data from multiple states, Dr. Kaye found that states that increased home and community-based services saw long-term savings and lower spending growth.
“Do non-institutional long-term care services reduce Medicaid spending?”
June 30 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm local time
The link for the Webinar is here: http://tinyurl.com/mn5hjg .
For more information about the research project and Webinar, including the software you may need, click here: http://pascenter.org/webcast/kaye.php . If clicking the links does not work, copy and paste the links into your browser’s address bar.
Toyota develops system to control wheelchair movements with thoughts
Toyota scientists have developed a system to control a wheelchair with thoughts. The system uses a cap fitted with five electroencephalograph (EEG) sensors to monitor the areas of the brain that control movement. A laptop computer mounted to the wheelchair picks up the signals and sends commands to the motor. All of this allows the user to go forward, left, or right, just by thinking about it. While similar “mind reading” technology has been developed in the past, the problem has been speed.
Earlier attempts took several seconds to pick up the user’s thoughts and convert them into movements. Toyota’s system works in 125 milliseconds, about a third of the time it takes to blink. As each person’s thought patterns are unique, the system takes a while to learn how the user thinks. According to Toyota researchers, it takes about a week for the system to become familiar with a user’s thought patterns. After this initial training period, the system is 95% accurate, making it one of the most accurate thought control systems ever developed. While the system allows a user to control the chair’s movements with thoughts, stopping requires a little extra: puffing out a cheek.
An additional facial sensor detects cheek movement, stopping the motor. The system is not ready to be released to consumers yet, but Toyota is planning a variety of applications, with the first likely being in the medical field.
To see a video of the system in action, click here: http://www.tinyurl.com/mp66wr . If clicking the link does not work, copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar. Note: the video is in Japanese only and, due to high demand, may be slow.
Riley Child Development Center presents:Understanding the Funding Maze
On August 27, the Riley Child Development Center will present “Understanding the Funding Maze”, a training designed to help parents and professionals understand the variety of public and private health and support resource programs available to families in Indiana. The training will cover what programs are available, who is eligible for each program, how to apply, and where to learn more.
Thursday August 27
First session: 9:00 am to noon
Second session: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
(Sessions are the same – Pick the time that works best for you)
IUPUI Campus Center
420 University Blvd.
Indianapolis, IN 46202
The training costs $50.00 per person. For more information and to register, see the registration form: http://tinyurl.com/mnwlyb .
Parents of children with disabilities under twenty-two may be eligible to have their fee covered by the Family Involvement Fund. For information, visit http://www.inf2f.org.
Making Businesses Accessible Workshop on July 28-Aug. 19th, 2009
On July 28 and August 19, the City of Bloomington will be presenting a free workshop on making businesses accessible. The law requires new and renovated businesses to be accessible to people with disabilities, and this workshop will help attendees make that happen.
This will help architects, builders, contractors, and government building inspectors understand how to be in compliance with Indiana and federal accessibility laws.
July 28 – for government building inspectors
8:30 am to 2:00 pm (Lunch provided)
City Hall, Council Chambers
401 N. Morton Street
Bloomington, Indiana
August 19 – for architects, builders, and contractors
8:30 am to 2:00 pm (Lunch provided)
City Hall, Council Chambers
401 N. Morton Street
Bloomington, Indiana
For more information and to reserve a space and lunch, contact Craig Brenner, Special Projects Coordinator. Phone: 812-349-3471. Email: Brennerc@bloomington.in.gov .
