From robotics and exoskeletons to eye-gaze technology and brain-computer interfaces, many things that seemed impossible a generation ago are now a reality and already making a huge difference for people with cerebral palsy and their families.
Our team of researchers, therapists and engineers are advancing hugely exciting projects to further unlock the future of assistive technology to make positive change by breaking down barriers to communicate, move and participate.
Assistive technology holds the promise of an exciting future for people with cerebral palsy.
My Voice Library expands internationally with the launch of My Voice Library Italia
Technology team expanded to have multidisciplinary representation with the appointment of Nicola Postol (physiotherapist) and Annemarie Murphy (speech therapist) joining the Team
Scaled up the TechToys Honours Program collaboration with The University of Sydney Biomedical Engineering Students, staff and families attending Cerebral Palsy Alliance therapy services.
Technology theme identified priorities of Mobility, Cognition and Communication
Dr Petra Karlsson awarded lead My Voice Library grant
Technology program established, and Petra Karlsson appointed as Technology Lead
Dr Petra Karlsson published the Eye-gaze control technology clinical guidelines
CP-Achieve was awarded led by Prof Dinah Reddihough, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, and Dr Ingrid Honan one of the chief investigators
CP Strategy launched, with Dr Ingrid Honan as the Chair and co-author, of which technology priorities were reinforced for the field of cerebral palsy
CogTEST-C recruitment commenced led by Dr Petra Karlsson and Dr Ingrid Honan
Prof Alistair McEwan appointed Ainsworth Chair of Innovation and Technology
Our mission is to enable inclusion through advancing, co-designing and leveraging technology for people with CP
across the life span.
Across the life span, enable every person with cerebral palsy access to Cognitive Assessments
Advance and support research into novel Communication technology to improve inclusion for people with cerebral palsy
Advance and support research into novel Mobility technology for people with cerebral palsy at all severity levels
Did you know less than 1 in 3 children with cerebral palsy are able to participate in formal cognitive assessments due to communication challenges? To increase accessibility of these valuable thinking skills assessments, we have adapted a number of assessment tools that can be administered via switch and eye-gaze control technologies.
We now invite children aged between 5 and 15 years, currently using switch and eye-gaze technology, to help us test accessibility of these tools for children with motor and speech impairment.
If you or your child want to get involved, or read more information, please contact Dr Petra Karlsson at pkarlsson@cerebralpalsy.org.au or 0447 508 661
Many developmental assessments require children to show us what they know by using their hands to interact with toys. This is not accessible for some children with cerebral palsy. We are evaluating how children with CP complete a developmental assessment that has been adapted for motor and vision impairments.
Recruitment has closed.
If you or your child would like more information, please contact Dr Ingrid Honan; ingrid.honan@cerebralpalsy.org.au
In collaboration with the Holland Bloorview Research Institute in Canada, CPA are developing a software for recognising sound or facial movements from a user. These movements and sounds can then be used as commands for controlling a computer or communication board. Switch-App is an AI based program that can learn a person’s specific movement and keywords, so that it can be used easily by the user in a home environment.
We are a multi-stakeholder research team, including people with lived experience of cerebral palsy, clinicians, engineers and researchers conducting a research study to create a database that will be used by engineers to develop technology to improve communication for children with cerebral palsy with dysarthria. If you are interested in participating, or would like to learn more please email myvoicelibrary@cerebralpalsy.org.au.
SQUID – Standalone Quadripartite User Interface Device.This product is designed to provide people with cerebral palsy who use assistive technology for communication, and their clinicians, access to easily set up two-way telerehabilitation for remote learning and therapy sessions.
CPA is collaborating with the Chinese University of Hong Kong utilising pneumatic actuators as a ‘soft exoskeleton’ to assist with different movements (such as walking or sit to stand) for children with cerebral palsy. Inflatable cuffs are place around the knees, and when inflated, assist the child to stand up and walk.
We are looking at modifying toys to better suit the needs of children with disabilities. We currently have multiple engineering honours students adapting different toys, including an accessible busy board and a touch-free instrument.
Partnering with people with lived experience is integral to everything we do.
Please click the link below to express your interest in joining our technology advisory group.
Our team is a multidisciplinary group of individuals focused on innovating and evaluating technology treatments for infants, children, youth and adults with cerebral palsy.
The team is led by Dr Petra Karlsson and Prof Alistair McEwan from the University of Sydney. This important clinical partnership provides a valuable opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration between people with lived experience of cerebral palsy, researchers, engineers and clinicians to facilitate evidence-informed practice with a focus of technology.
Petra leads a program of research that focuses on bringing allied health and biomedical engineering together, at the AHa Engineering Lab (Allied Health and Engineering). The Aha Engineering lab has a focus on innovative tech, creating multiple devices to support functioning in daily across mobility, cognition and communication investigated the use of participation to support functioning in daily activities for individuals living with severe cerebral palsy.
Harness advancing technology and innovation to accelerate the search for new and improved treatments and interventions for childhood disabilities.
Responsible for implementing projects with a focus on mental health, cognition and well-being across the life span, and is Co-Chair of the Australian and New Zealand Cerebral Palsy Strategy.
Nic is currently working on a feasibility study with a soft knee exoskeleton with children aged 2-5, infant treadmills, and two systematic reviews; one evaluating the use of overground wearable robotics for people with CP, and the second looking at the impact of mobility technology on school-aged children.
Annemarie is currently working on a range of projects focused on access to technology for communication. She is collaborating across disciplines to develop technology to support communication and literacy for individuals with complex communication needs. She is involved in mentoring and supervising engineering and speech pathology students and practicing clinicians.
Darryl supports various innovative projects across research and industry, and is currently working on multiple projects that use technology to assist and improve the cognition, communication, and mobility of people with cerebral palsy.
Dr. Sabrina Schaly is a post doctoral researcher from the University of Sydney that works closely with the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Technology Team. She is specialised in biomedical engineering, assistive technology, and AI-enabled health solutions. Her research focuses on co-designing inclusive technologies for pain and stress communication, developing low-cost assistive devices, and advancing multimodal AI for health empowerment.
Wesley Zhang
University of Sydney, Engineering
Caregivers’ Lived Experiences of Procuring Toys and Technologies for Children with Neuromotor Disabilities to Shape Design Innovation – A Co-Designed Narrative Inquiry
Victoria Norris
University of Sydney, Engineering
Music to Baby’s Ears. Perspective of key stakeholders and study of infant physiological responses to music therapy in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
Yueting Zhan
The University of Sydney, Faculty of Psychology
Beyond Motor Challenges: Valid Executive Function Assessment in Cerebral Palsy through a Metacognitive Lens
Amanda Burman Rimstedt
Lund University, Lund Disability Research Centre
Pain in children with spina bifida and cerebral palsy
Pierre Najjarin
University of Sydney, Engineering
Improving the Accessibility and Rehabilitative Function of an Existing Soft Exoskeleton in a Paediatric Setting
Karen Bau
The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health
Pain in children and young people with physical disabilities undergoing lower limb orthopaedic surgery
Stacey Mills
The University of Sydney, Westmead Clinical School
Play for play sake – Understand play for children with non-ambulatory cerebral palsy: Perspectives of parents and therapists.
Antony Clements
The University of Sydney, Faculty of Engineering
It’s all about the story: You can’t experience it if you can’t play it.
Sophia Legget
University of Newcastle, Physiotherapy Parenting beyond diagnosis: A qualitative analysis of parenting a child with lifelong mobility issues in a rural area
Past students:
Joni Cooper-Johnston
University of Newcastle, Physiotherapy
More than movement: The influence of walking frames on non-motor development in children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review
Haifeng Zhao
University of Sydney, Engineering
Wearable AAC technology: a novel way for communication for people with complex communication needs
Simanto Saha
University of Sydney, Engineering
Toward A Generalised Signal Processing Framework for Inter-Subject Associative BCI
Find out more about the latest technology news and research.
Help transform lives by supporting cerebral palsy research. Your donation brings hope and progress for babies, children and adults with cerebral palsy, and their families.
Dr. Petra Karlsson
Program Lead, Technology
Email: pkarlsson@cerebralpalsy.org.au
Prof Alistair McEwan
Chair of Innovation and Technology
Email: alistair.mcewan@Sydney.edu.au
