The Future of Occupational Therapy I went to the WESTEC conference a few weeks ago, which showcased the latest innovations in manufacturing technology and engineering. I strolled through booths displaying electric welding systems, optical communication encoders, expansion clamps, CNC machines, and all things redefining the future of manufacturing. What's this got to do with Occupational Therapy? Well, after strolling through a lane offering free candy, I came across the Additive Manufacturing, or commonly known as 3-D printing, booth. Recently, there have been a lot of advances made in the field of medicine such as targeted cancer therapies, the first full face transplant, bionic hands that position using an iPad app, bluetooth devices that coordinate motor movement, and 3-D computer models that customize eye socket design. But what really blew my mind was in a glass showcase - a 3D printed "magic arm," also known as WREX (Wilmington Robotic Exoskeleton) and a 3D prin...
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Apps for Occupational Therapy
Here is a short list of useful OT Apps I've come across. If you have other recommendations, please feel free to comment and add. 1. Dragon Dictation Finally, if you have a patient that can speak but not write, check out this app. It is a free voice recognition app available for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. 2. Verbally This is an easy-to-use, comprehensive Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) app for the iPad. It brings speech to those without and enables real conversation with its simple, intuitive design. Available for free, simply tap on the image to get Verbally to say it for you. 3. Autism Express Use this simple app to get feelings listed as pictures. Simply have a patient point to a face to describe their current mood. Available at no charge, it is intended for autism patients. 4. Small Talk Get an app designed specifically of the population that need specific and functional phrases paired wi...