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Photo: A young man stands on a mountain supported by walking aids; a mountain panorama can be seen in the background; Copyright: private

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Jonah Holtermann – That's how he rolls

15/12/2021

Due to an abrasion, Jonah Holtermann's life was turned completely upside down. The 23-year-old thinks positively despite the challenges that still lie ahead. After all, in the interim it was touch and go whether he would survive at all. Thanks to which aids he is mobile again, how it felt to wear a prosthesis for the first time and what makes him roll otherwise, he tells at REHACARE.com
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Photo: An avenue from above. On the gravel between the trees you can see someone driving along with the BRO; Copyright: Scewo AG

Scewo AG

Getting the finished product to the customers: partnering up with medical supply stores

24/11/2021

The medical supply store is your first point of contact if you need a (new) assistive device: It has a vast selection of mobility supports, practical aids for everyday activities, sports and leisure equipment. But how do these items get to the medical supply store? And how can a startup find commercial partners and establish its products effectively?
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Photo: a young man with black hair and a dark jacket – Florian Lutz; Copyright: Florian Lutz

Florian Lutz

Florian Lutz – That's how he rolls

08/09/2021

Florian Lutz listens carefully to people with disabilities when it comes to making their lives more self-determined. As a rehab consultant, he is on the road around Göppingen – and on the internet: There, inspired by his daily work, he presents aids for people with disabilities. What he thinks aid manufacturers need to consider in development and how he otherwise rolls, he tells on REHACARE.com.
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Photo: A technician sits in front of a laptop showing a scanned knee. An Ottobock employee stands next to him and explains something to him; Copyright: Otto Bock HealthCare Deutschland GmbH

Otto Bock HealthCare Deutschland GmbH

From scanning to 3D printing: the workshop goes digital

29/07/2021

"Our world today is becoming more digital both in the personal and business realm. Digital transformation affects many industry sectors – and the orthopedic industry is no exception," says Niklas Hohlfeld, Prosthetics Market Management of Otto Bock. The coronavirus pandemic has significantly accelerated the pace of this development. Otto Bock and Mecuris told us more.
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Photo: a young woman with blonde curls is smiling towards the camera – Janine Kolbig; Copyright: privat

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Janine Kolbig – That's how she rolls

14/07/2021

Living a self-determined life is a matter of the heart for Janine Kolbig. She is the founder of the Centre for Self-Determined Living Northern Germany, which advises people with disabilities and represents their interests. What self-determination means to her, who the origin of this movement is for her and how she otherwise rolls, she tells us on REHACARE.com.
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Photo: a young woman with braids is sitting in a wheelchair and doing a half backflip – Jesi Stracham; Copyright: Jim Dukes Photography

Jim Dukes Photography

Jesi Stracham – That's how she rolls

30/06/2021

Jesi Stracham is a wheelchair user and has no problem with it: Over the years, she has learned to accept herself as she is and to detach herself from societal expectations – she no longer wants to have any labels put on her. How she has achieved this mindset, why every day is a good day for her and how she otherwise rolls, she tells us on REHACARE.com.
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Photo: a young man with glasses sits in a wheelchair on a hill at dusk, a river and the illuminated river bank can be seen in the background - Tobi Kroll; Copyright: Tobi Kroll

Tobias Kroll

Tobi Kroll – That's how he rolls

16/06/2021

How can we arrive in an inclusive world? Tobi Kroll has a few suggestions, because he is always thinking about barriers – both structural and social. But he also has some ideas about how society can accommodate people with disabilities. Who he would like to discuss our society with and how he otherwise rolls, he tells us on REHACARE.com.
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Photo: a woman with light grey hair, glasses and a green t-shirt is sinnting in a wheelchair in front of a building, on her legs she carries a ramp made of tiny bricks; Copyright: Lego-Oma-Team

Lego-Oma-Team

Rita Ebel – That's how she rolls

19/05/2021

Rita Ebel has become known as the "Lego granny": Since accessibility is still a scarce commodity, she designs ramps made of interlocking plastic bricks. Boxes of the colourful bricks are stored in her house and are transformed into ramps with creative patterns. Why she herself is dependent on accessibility, why she never loses her smile and how she otherwise rolls, she tells us on REHACARE.com.
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Photo: a man with a grey suit is leaning against a white wall – Jörg Dommershausen; Copyright: Peer Klausing

Peer Klausing

Jörg Dommershausen – That's how he rolls

24/02/2021

Jörg Dommershausen takes comprehensive care of his clients: He helps those affected to cope with changed circumstances in their professional and private lives after serious accidents. In addition to his counselling services, Dommershausen also produces two (German) podcasts and a guide. What is indispensable for his work with his clients and how he otherwise rolls, he tells us on REHACARE.com.
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Photo: a young woman – Lily Rice – is wearing a helmet and doing a stunt in a pink wheelchair; Copyright: Steven Clarey

Steven Clarey

Lily Rice – That's how she rolls

10/02/2021

Lily Rice can usually be found at the skatepark, refining her WCMX techniques in her pink wheelchair. The training is paying off: Lily entered the scene in 2017, two years later she was Women's World Champion. It was only logical that her biggest challenge to date was in the halfpipe – what it was, who motivates her and how she otherwise rolls, she tells us on REHACARE.com.
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Photo: Prototype of the sensor for a cane; Copyright: Zahout-Heil

Zahout-Heil

SmAccLab: Smart auxiliary means for everyone

28/05/2019

Accessible and realistic – that’s how auxiliary aids should be in the eyes of Professor Carsten Zahout. Students at the Smart Accessibility Laboratory (SmAccLab) are working on technical solutions that fulfill these requirements and lead to increased participation for people with disabilities. REHACARE.com found out how product engineering and inclusion join forces.
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Photo: An elderly woman catches ichó. The ball starts to glow in red-orange colors.; Copyright: ichó systems - icho-systems.de

ichó systems - icho-systems.de

"ichó brings people with and without dementia together and provides a way to share stories, experiences, and impressions."

22/04/2018

Like the golden sphere in the fairy tale of the Frog King, ichó (Greek for echo) is meant to bring back lost motor skills and cognitive functions to people with dementia. The project of four former graduates of the Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences aims to offer individual support through a person’s favorite music or fairy tale.
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Photo: Stefanie Trzecinski; Copyright: Johannes Franke

Johannes Franke

"At the TUECHTIG coworking space, people with and without disabilities are working together – and not just next to each other"

22/03/2018

Maximum flexibility to encourage ideas, effectively sharing office space: coworking spaces have become a part of many major cities. In 2017, Berlin featured about one hundred of them, but none of them were comprehensively accessible. That’s something Stefanie Trzecinski from KOPF, HAND + FUSS gGmbH wanted to change. That was the moment, the idea for "TUECHTIG – Raum für Inklusion" was born.
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Photo: Cinderella and Niels of HelpCamps; Copyright: HelpCamps

HelpCamps

HelpCamps: "Making assistive technology faster, more affordable and personalized"

23/11/2017

In accordance with the slogan "Nothing about us without us", the HelpCamps project aims at developing and implementing concepts and ideas together. To make this a reality, people with disabilities, companies from the assistive technology, care and assistance sectors, as well as stakeholders in the so-called maker movement and researchers, are brought together to network during various events.
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Photo: Click-sonar coach Juan Ruiz while training with a kid; Copyright: Anderes Sehen e.V., www.anderes-sehen.de

Anderes Sehen e.V., www.anderes-sehen.de

"Long cane for children is a 'facilitator'– the chance to independently accomplish something"

17/08/2017

The long cane offers the possibility to be independent and effectively mobile as a person with visual impairment. Children in particular could get used to him in a playful way. The association "Anderes sehen e.V." has co-developed the children's long cane. REHACARE.com spoke to Ellen Schweizer, the founder of the association, about the fact that inclusion is not a burden, but can bring joy.
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Photo: Florian Adler; Copyright: Tim de Gruisbourne

Tim de Gruisbourne

"Inclusive communication design is both accessible and attractive"

15/06/2017

For many, recognizing and understanding characters is an important prerequisite to social participation. Inclusive communication design helps people with visual impairments to accomplish this. REHACARE.com spoke with designer and expert of the German Association for Blind and Visually Impaired People, Florian Adler. He has developed a digital guide to inclusive communication design.
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Photo: Sandra Glöckler; Copyright: Rolli auf Trab

Rolli auf Trab

"Horse riding is a sport people with and without impairments are able to experience together on equal footing"

20/04/2017

More self-confidence and independence – things you can learn from horse riding for example. People with disabilities can take this important step with "Rolli auf Trab" (English: Trotting with Wheelchairs). REHACARE.com spoke with Sandra Glöckler of "Rolli auf Trab" about the lust for life that horse riding inspires and the interaction and experiences with the animals.
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Photo: Marcus Rohrbach cuts fruits in kitchen, camera records scenes, computer screen in foreground

MPI-INF/MMeyer

Will software automatically describe movie plots in the near future?

18/07/2016

In order to understand the plot of a movie an audio version is very helpful for visually impaired people. Authors watch the whole movies and describe what happens in each scene. But wouldn’t it be possible for a computer software to do this kind of work? Researchers work on developing a program which automatically generates movie descriptions and reads them out.
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Photo: Birgit Gebhardt

Stephanie Brinkkoetter

Blessing or curse? Using robots in the healthcare sector

21/06/2016

In the distant future? – But today already a reality: robot caregivers are designed to make the daily tasks of healthcare workers easier. Today these types of helpers are already being used in Japan. They lift people in need of care out of their beds, play cards with them or cuddle with dementia patients.
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Photo: Sigrid Arnade

ISL

"Ability4Refugees platform wants to provide auxiliary means for refugees with disabilities"

24/05/2016

Many people who had to leave their home country traveled in a wheelchair or used crutches. The stress of this escape was at times even more exhausting and taxing for some than for others. REHACARE.com spoke with Sigrid Arnade (ISL e.V.) and Eva-Maria and Andreas Mohn (Andreas Mohn Foundation) about the Ability4Refugees platform that aims to improve the availability of auxiliary means for refugees.
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Photo: Philipp Mahler with an avatar at MEDICA 2015

"The robot facilitates and promotes the connection between children"

15/12/2015

A robot that provides a link between hospital and classroom? The project Avatar Kids makes this possible: acutely ill children are able to actively participate in school activities with the help of a tablet computer. The teacher facilitates the communication. REHACARE.com spoke with Philipp Mahler of Avatar Kids about the opportunities this project provides.
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Photo: Nicole Seifert

BGW/in.signo

"Safe mobility starts with the right choice and adaptation of the wheelchair"

23/07/2015

Whether it’s a wheelchair or a walker – for people with disabilities, it is crucial to control their own mobility in a competent and safe manner. Yet not everyone truly feels confident in every situation with these assistive devices. That’s why REHACARE.com spoke with Nicole Seifert about ways to foster more trust in yourself and others.
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