Research ShowCASE: A Knowledge Extravaganza!

A fascinating “show and tell” event, Research ShowCASE, coming to the Veale Convocation Center on the Case Western Reserve University campus on April 16 -17 will show us what the future looks like right now. This sixth annual exhibit, featuring 563 poster presenters, researchers, and academicians, highlights the most up-to-date research in medicine, technology, energy, social sciences, and engineering from Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, MetroHealth System, the Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Cleveland Clinic.

Researchers submit research abstracts for review while others submit poster displays summarizing their findings. There will also be 32 interactive booth presenters at the show. Five symposia are scheduled to be presented by expert moderators and panelists from the participating institutions along with two break-out sessions.

At last year’s show, thousands of students and visitors saw Dexter, the robotic (autonomous) vehicle designed by Case’s DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Urban Challenge team. In November 2007, the Case team entered Dexter in the $2 million dollar DARPA national robotic vehicle competition. Without human drivers, robotic vehicles loaded with sensors had to drive through a 60-mile urban obstacle course, obey traffic laws and merge onto traffic circles, in a simulated supply mission assignment. For a first time entry competing against experienced engineering teams, Dexter did amazingly well successfully passing three qualifying exams before it was eliminated.

This year, Research ShowCASE features cutting edge technology, new research findings, and scientific reports from the leading academic, medical, and technology organizations in this region.

One of these exhibitors, the Cleveland Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) Center, will demonstrate how electrical stimulation applied to multiple physical impairments can restore function. “Our participants come from across the country. They may have been affected by a stroke and gone through traditional therapies but wanted something above and beyond their regained capabilities,” explains Mary Buckett from the FES Center.

“The FES Center has programs for individuals with spinal cord injuries and stroke. Our programs are available to those whose assessments meet the program criteria. Within the program, a stimulation system (electrodes and a stimulator) is implanted that is programmable and adjustable with an external control box. Following therapy and training, the participant is then able to regain movement to the limbs that previously were impaired. Functioning increases as he works to regain muscle stamina and retrain the affected limb,” says Buckett.

These systems are individually programmed to meet the participant’s specific goals including retained strength, coordination, and pattern of movement. Funding is provided by federal and state agencies. According to Buckett, the first individual to receive an FES system 21 years ago is still using the system today.

The Cleveland FES Center is a consortium in Functional Electrical Stimulation technology including the: Louis Stokes Cleveland VAMC, Case Western Reserve University and MetroHealth Medical Center.

Meet iStan – He is making a special appearance at Research ShowCASE as part of the Mt.Sinai Skills and Simulation Center (MSSSC) exhibit. iStan is a full-size, wireless/tetherless patient simulator that responds to various medical procedures such as IV medication, intubation and CPR. iStan also blinks, breathes, talks with a wireless microphone, and can change pupil dilation and tongue swelling. The U.S. Army wanted this technologically-advanced next generation of human models so that paramedics could practice medical treatment under combat field conditions in foxholes.

“It’s more effective using simulated models for education, students retain more when they practice doing” says Dr. Kathleen Rosen, director of MSSSC which opened at a temporary location on the Louis B. Stokes VA Medical Center grounds as of May 4, 2006. Eventually this center will move to the West Quad, the site of the former Mt. Sinai Hospital.

Simulated exercises using human-like models and human actors, known as Standardized Patients, help medical and health care students practice patient treatment. “This is a low risk environment where residents, nursing students, dental students, paramedics, physician assistants, and advance practice nurses come here to practice simple to complex procedures,” adds Rosen.

MSSSC has eight examination rooms and medical-related equipment just like doctors’ offices and hospital emergency rooms. They also have a female patient simulator, Noelle, who gives students practice delivering an infant. Medical Education Technologies, Inc. (METI) produces these patient simulators. iStan is the latest generation of technology. Stan, shown in the picture, is presently used at the simulation center, but an iStan model is expected to be arriving soon. In 2007, MSSSC gave 3,700 students on site and 700 students off site simulated practice opportunities to apply their medical education and improve their patient treatment approach. MSSSC technology manager, Drew Gross, will be at Research ShowCASE. Be sure to stop by. He can show you how to talk to iStan, check his breathing and his pulse!

At another exhibit table, Gary Galbraith, a Case faculty member from the department of theatre and dance, will show how he is expanding the definition of contemporary dance by using technology combined with live performance. Galbraith is a principal dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company and previously danced with the Jose Limon Dance Company. Galbraith has created this unusual production commemorating the Mather Dance Studio’s building centennial anniversary.

Challenging our traditional ideas about space, he has choreographed a dancer to move through space on stage, but replaces a singular projection with three projections on separate screens. This visual panorama displays different perspectives, high definition pictures from the dance studio. This dance/technology production represents a collaboration with Jared Bendis who was responsible for the visuals. He took 19,000 images of the dance studio building from every angle. Joan Tower created the music back-up in conjunction with the performance.

This knowledge extravaganza is Highly Recommended. There is so much to see and learn at Research ShowCASE. Visit http://ora.ra.cwru.edu/showcase/ for more information.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Susan Schaul susn1ATatt.net
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