RECOVER Projects
Note: the following project descriptions are intended to provide factual information regarding successful development and translation of products from RECOVER and should not be seen as an endorsement of licensed and commercialized products. All license agreements were negotiated by VA's Technology Transfer Program.
M-PACE Ergometer | Skin Screening Camera | ModuHeel Footwear | Standing Wheelchair | Prosthetic Sock Management | Multispeed Wheelchair | Caregiver Transport Chair | Adaptive Rowing | Dynamic Orthoses | Skin Adaptation | Slope Adaptive Foot | NUFlexsis Socket | Prosthetic Foot Emulator | Swivel Lift | Graded Motor Imagery | Knee Osteoarthritis | Socket Testing | Hydrocephalus Assessment | PD Fall Risk | PD Instability & Gait | PD Instability & DBS | Posttraumatic Headache | Injustice Appraisals
Multi-Purpose Arm Cycle Ergometer (M-PACE)
RECOVER developed the M-PACE to help address deconditioning in Veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D) recovering after a flap surgery. The system was designed to provide access to exercise in a fully supine position, as well as seated, reclined, and standing postures. We are seeking an industry partner to license and commercialize this technology.
Our group also conducted a study of supine arm cycling in Veterans with SCI/D recovering after a flap procedure. See our open access article at DOI: 10.1080/10790268.2021.1975082
This project has been funded by University of Minnesota’s Office of Discovery and Translation and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Skin Screening Camera System
RECOVER developed a skin screening camera system to help Veterans monitor and detect skin problems before they become late-stage pressure injuries. This device may be useful for Veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders and Veterans with diabetes to help monitor their skin in hard to see areas that are at high risk for developing pressure injuries. We are seeking an industry partner to license and commercialize this technology.
This project was primarily funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
ModuHeel for Improving Footwear Options for Veterans with Amputations
RECOVER is working to develop and commercialize a modular prosthetic ankle system that quickly connects to a variety of 3D printed prosthetic feet (ModuHeel). This approach should allow Veterans with amputations to use a much wider variety of footwear because the 3D printed feet can be customized to each pair of shoes (e.g., shoe length and width, heel height). This product is licensed to Limb Creations Inc and we are collaborating with VA's X_Labs on further development toward a commercial release of the product.
This project has been primarily funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Mobile Manual Standing Wheelchair
RECOVER has developed a manual standing wheelchair that allows mobility in standing. The ability to be mobile in both sitting and standing postures may improve the utility of standing wheelchairs and improve participation and quality of life in Veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders. RECOVER recently finished a multi-site study of the wheelchair in collaboration with the VA Palo Alto Spinal Cord Injuries and Disorders Center. Development and testing have been funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
RECOVER recently developed and evaluated a new standing wheelchair frame with built-in shear reduction system, a project led by Dr. Gary Goldish. This project was funded by University of Minnesota’s Office of Discovery and Translation.
RECOVER is also assisting with the development of the next generation mobile-in-standing manual wheelchair in collaboration with woman-Veteran-owned business Optimal Mobility, led by Dr. Patricia McCracken. This project is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Wheelchairs are being developed for both children and adult sizes. See more at Optimal Mobility (optimal-mobility.com)
Prosthetic Sock Management Tool
RECOVER developed a prosthetic sock management tool to help Veterans manage how they use their prosthetic socks with their prosthesis. This product has been licensed by Clothier Design Source and is now commercially available: Prosthetic Sock Management Tool (clothierdesignsource.com)
This project was funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Multispeed Wheelchair
RECOVER is developing a multispeed wheelchair to improve usability and outcomes in long-term wheelchair users. The multispeed wheelchair utilizes a chain drive system, similar to that used in bikes, to allow users to adjust the speed and resistance of the chair during propulsion. The goal is to improve mobility for users, making things like propelling on difficult terrains easier by decreasing the wheel's resistance with lower gears, or allowing single pushes to propel further with higher gears. This project also aims to extend Veteran participation by decreasing the stress on the shoulder, both through the use of lower gears in older users, as well as through the more anteriorly placed push rims.
This project is funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Caregiver Assist Transport Chair
RECOVER collaborated with the University of Minnesota to develop a caregiver assist transport chair (CATC) that senses the intent of the caregiver and assists with hub motors. The CATC has also been tested recently in a group of Veterans and their caregivers to understand its potential future impact on participation.
The following video shows the CATC in action: CATC Video (YouTube.com)
For more information on recent testing, see the article at DOI: 10.1080/17483107.2026.2639466
This project has been funded by University of Minnesota’s Office of Discovery and Translation and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Adaptive Rowing
RECOVER is working with the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA's Advanced Platform Technology (APT) Center to develop and test an improved adaptive rowing system for Veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders and limited trunk stability. The Adaptive Indoor Rowing Seat (AIRS) allows movement of the rowing seat which engages the legs during a rowing stroke, something that is not possible on current adaptive rowing equipment which locks the seat in place. The AIRS aims to allow users a full body exercise when participating in adaptive rowing.
Learn more at: Advanced Platform Technology Center (va.gov)
This project is funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Custom Dynamic Orthoses
RECOVER is working with Dr. Jason Wilken at the University of Iowa to improve ankle foot orthosis (AFO) prescription for people with a history of lower extremity injuries. This study looks at how different shank to vertical angles in two types of AFOs affect pain, stability and patient reported outcome measures. This project utilizes RECOVER's motion analysis lab to determine the changes in gait biomechanics caused by the different configurations of each brace.
Learn more at: Human Performance and Clinical Outcomes (uiowa.edu)
This project is funded by the Department of Defense.
Skin Adaptation after Amputation
RECOVER is working with the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center to investigate skin health in persons with new amputations and how skin health changes through the recovery and prosthetic prescription process. The goal of this study is to improve the tracking of residual limb skin health in persons with new amputations to prevent wounds and decrease the need for further amputation.
Learn more at: Center for the Intrepid (tricare.mil)
This project is funded by the Department of Defense.
Slope Adaptive Foot
RECOVER is evaluating the impact of two types of hydraulic prosthetic feet for Veterans with a transtibial amputation. The study team is interested in understanding how these feet may impact day-to-day experiences and long-term outcomes related to engaging in activities and outcomes related to falling. Participants will complete surveys, performance tests, interviews, and a photo task in which participants will take photos that represent their experiences with the feet.
Development and testing of this product has been primarily funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
NUFlexsis Socket for Transfemoral Prostheses
RECOVER collaborated on a study of a new prosthetic socket design for Veterans with a transfemoral amputation in collaboration with Dr. Stefania Fatone at the University of Washington. The purpose of this study was to learn if a new prosthetic socket design, which was hypothesized to be more comfortable than current prosthetic socket designs, would help Veterans wear the socket more and therefore walk more. Participants wore their current prosthetic socket for 3 months and the new prosthetic socket for 6 months while wearing a step counter and temperature sensor to measure wear time. Participants also completed surveys to understand how the socket influences their life and participation in daily activities.
This project was funded by the Department of Defense.
Prosthetic Foot Emulator Study
RECOVER recently worked with VA Puget Sound's CLiMB and Humotech to test a prosthetic foot emulator which aims to improve the prosthetic foot prescription process. Humotech's prosthetic foot emulator is designed to mimic commercially available prosthetic feet in order to allow persons with amputations to test new feet in clinic before foot prescription. RECOVER and CLiMB tested users' experience with the emulator and are working with Humotech to validate its foot emulator properties.
Learn more at: Amputation Research (va.gov)
This project was funded by the Department of Defense.
Swivel Patient Lift
RECOVER assisted with the development of a swivel patient lift that can work in areas that do not have ceiling lifts and for which typical floor lifts are impossible (e.g., mental health beds, surgical suites). This project was initiated by a safe patient handling expert Ashley Crooks at the St. Cloud VA. VA is seeking a licensee to license and commercialize this product.
See video at: Swivel Patient Lift (YouTube.com)
This project was funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Graded Motor Imagery (GMI) App
RECOVER is developing a mobile app that utilizes graded motor imagery (GMI) to help manage phantom limb pain (PLP). This app includes education and three intervention phases, limb laterality training, motor imagery, and mirror therapy to retrain the brain and aid with processing pain. Dr. Tonya Rich's team is conducting a clinical trial to test the feasibility of conducting virtual telehealth visits that allow Veterans and clinicians to use the VA-GMI mobile app from the comfort and ease of their own home. This app is designed for long-term use.
This project is funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Knee Osteoarthritis Research
RECOVER is studying the effects of weight loss on knee osteoarthritis (OA) in Veterans with obesity using acoustics and biomechanics. This study follows Veterans over a year of using prescription weight loss drugs to determine how their knee acoustics and biomechanics change with weight loss. Small contact microphones placed on the knees record noises in the knees that may be associated with knee OA, and that may change when people lose weight. This is being combined with biomechanics collected in RECOVER's motion analysis lab to get a full picture of the changes in knee health and knee OA symptoms associated with weight loss.
This project is funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Prosthetic Socket Testing
RECOVER supports both clinical and research efforts to leverage 3D printing technologies for prosthetic sockets by providing expert testing and structural analysis to our collaborators to ensure safety of these novel approaches. RECOVER is developing a low-cost prosthetic socket testing system that will reduce the barrier to entry for smaller organizations, like startups, that traditionally do not have the budget to support either 3rd party testing or purchasing expensive testing systems currently used by the industry, as well as to enable other organizations like the VA to significantly expand their existing testing capabilities. As part of this work, we are involved in the development of the first international standardized test method for structural evaluation of prosthetic sockets to support innovative new material/design development and encourage safety for prosthesis users, partnering with the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Prospective Quantitative Kinematic Assessment of Patients with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
The goal of this study is to improve clinical decision-making for normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) by using objective, quantitative measurements of gait and cognitive function, rather than traditional clinical assessments to better predict which patients will benefit from ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement.
Wearable Sensors for Early Detection of Postural Instability and Fall Risk Prediction in Parkinsonism Patients
RECOVER uses wearable motion sensors and motion capture to assess gait and postural instability in Parkinsonism patients at home, where falls occur most. By converting clinical tests into kinematic measures, we aim to create individualized profiles for accurate fall risk prediction and targeted treatment.
Kinematic Signatures of Postural Instability and Gait in Parkinson's Disease
This study aims to develop a quantitative motion capture system to objectively evaluate gait and postural instability in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and sensory neuropathy patients, addressing the limitations of current clinical measurements. By creating an anonymized database and comparing data from PD patients with controls, including those with sensory neuropathy, we seek to identify unique gait and balance characteristics for early detection, effective treatment evaluation, and improved understanding of the pathophysiology underlying these conditions.
Using Wearable Sensors to Assess the Effect of Deep Brain Stimulation and LSVT BIG Therapy on Postural Instability and Fall Prevention in Parkinson's Disease
We are evaluating the effectiveness of deep brain stimulation (DBS) and LSVT BIG therapy on postural instability and fall risk in Veterans with Parkinson’s Disease using quantitative models. By transforming the pull test into a kinematic measure, we aim to determine whether improved movement amplitude reduces falls and explore combined therapy effects on motor function.
A Multisite Trial of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Posttraumatic Headache
RECOVER is assisting with Project MARCH, which is A Multisite Trial of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Posttraumatic Headache funded by the Department of Defense (DoD). The aim of the study is to test a cognitive-behavioral therapy protocol for posttraumatic headaches with both in-person and telehealth formats. This is a multi-site trial, which is the largest clinical trial in the world to test a posttraumatic headache intervention.
Injustice Appraisals
RECOVER is working with investigators at the University of Minnesota's (UMN) Department of Rehabilitation Medicine to conduct a longitudinal study that looks to determine the impact of injustice appraisals on psychosocial outcomes over time. UMN Principal Investigator Dr. Kimberley Monden states "an injustice appraisal is a cognitive evaluative process concerned with how someone thinks about their injury." This study proposes that a better understanding of injustice appraisals could help identify those who may be at risk for further psychosocial problems, such as anger, depression, anxiety, or decreased likelihood of returning to work.
Learn more at: Injustice Appraisals (umn.edu)
