Research
ASB 2024 Abstract Submission and Poster Presentation
Visual Impairments and Risk Factors Related to Neck Musculoskeletal Disorders
This preliminary study explores how different types of visual impairments affect neck posture and task performance during a manual sorting task, identifying risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in older adults. Results show that participants with age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy spent less time in extreme neck postures and completed more work under brighter lighting, while those with glaucoma showed minimal changes. These findings suggest that improving workplace lighting could be a simple, effective intervention to reduce MSD risk for visually impaired workers.
BMES 2024 Abstract and Poster Presentation
Gait Metrics During Standard and Novel Assessments of Walking
This pilot study investigates how gait changes across different environments by comparing standard indoor lab assessments to more naturalistic outdoor and multi-terrain walking tasks in older adults. Using wearable IMUs, we found notable intra- and inter-subject variability in gait parameters such as cadence and step time, suggesting that traditional lab-based metrics may not accurately reflect real-world mobility. These findings highlight the importance of ecologically valid assessments and lay the groundwork for future studies involving individuals with vision loss.
I2Eye 2024 Abstract Submission
Visual Impairments and Performance of Dexterity Tasks
This study examined how different types of visual impairments—AMD, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma—affect dexterity performance across common work tasks under varying lighting conditions. Results showed that lighting had diagnosis-specific effects: brighter light improved performance for those with AMD but sometimes hindered those with glaucoma, while task difficulty varied depending on the visual demands. These findings suggest that tailored lighting adjustments could help mitigate performance gaps and serve as practical workplace accommodations for individuals with visual impairments.
