F. R. Carrick Institute

The F. R. Carrick Institute for Clinical Ergonomics, Rehabilitation, and Applied Neuroscience (C.E.R.A.N.) of Leeds Metropolitan University, England consists of a faculty of world class scientists and clinical researchers in Biomedical Engineering and Rehabilitation, Experimental Psychology and Adult and Developmental Neuropsychology, Ergonomics and Human Factors, Cognitive Neuroscience, Linguistics, Developmental Neuroscience and research in Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy. The participants have produced numerous patents and developments as well as translational research in fundamental biomedical technologies including applications of high temperature superconductivity, imaging science, brain pacemakers, apnea monitoring, laparoscopy, pain management systems, neural nets, treatments for decubitus ulcer, drug delivery systems, non-invasive anesthesia, acoustic body parts identification, acoustic correlation transform, miniaturized MRI, and neurochemical modulation by weak magnetic fields.

The Institute is affiliated with Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, N.Y., USA.

A doctoral program in Rehabilitation Sciences and in Clinical Rehabilitation Neuropsychology is offered by C.E.R.A.N. through the Faculty of Health of Leeds Metropolitan University [1][2][3]

Research Groups

Biomedical Engineering Group

This group has addressed applications areas such as: Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging fMRI as well as developments in the treatment of decubitus ulcer by sitting, orthotics and prosthetics, wheelchairs, and assistive aids all towards providing less restrictive environments for those in need of rehabilitation. Also developments in systemics, optimisation, and computational models have been pursued as well as in Human Factors and Ergonomics, digital image processing, and in electrophysiology and signal analysis, examining the Kinesiology of movement and gait, speech synthesis, recognition, and acoustics as well as computational systems in rehabilitation.

Neurocybernetics Group

Developments have included computer models of nervous system function and dysfunction employing applications of theoretical physics, artificial neural networks, linear and non-linear models, bifurcation theory, and chaos theory as vehicles for simulating nervous system function and dysfunction. Additionally, analyses of applications of combinatorics, recurrence relations, and the establishment of asymptotic distributions are studied in relation to biomedical and rehabilitation systems. Research has also examined the effects of trauma and therapeutic interventions on search methods, formal proof, and knowledge representation as well as natural language understanding, scene understanding, learning, and expert systems.

Neuroscience Group

Areas of investigation include Muscle, Nerve, and Work, Clinical Systems Neuroscience using electrophysiological methods including EMG, EEG, EOG, evoked potentials and event-related potentials, imaging, computational modeling, Neuropharmacology, psychophysics and signal detection theory, Neuroradiology (including CT, MRI PET, and spectral imaging) applied to clinical applications in rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation and Applied Biosciences Group

Humanities in Biomedicine Group

Researchers explore ethical issues generated by the application of scientific and technological advances to the preservation, destruction, and programming of human life including orphan drug development, abortion, euthanasia, behavior control, allocation of medical resources in technology development, ethics of the patient-physician interaction, and the ethics of technology application.

Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuropsychology, Curriculum, and Human Factors Groups

Methods of Psychological Science have been employed to develop theoretical and applied strategies in rehabilitation applications. Research bridges the gap between Cognitive Science, Communication Sciences, Systemics and cellular Neuroscience, brain imaging, and Computational Neuroscience on the one hand and curriculum and instruction on the other. Changes in the electrical activity of the brain during cognition have been examined and changes in blood flow and metabolic activity of the brain during cognition are being examined. Mechanisms by which neural networks generate voluntary actions, memory, thinking, problem solving, language and emotion are being examined to learn how these capabilities malfunction in persons with brain damage, developmental disabilities, mental illness and dementia.

Rehabilitation applications include: direct retraining, process training, attention-concentration training, strategy training, nutrient and drug treatment effects of cognitive performance, orthotics methods, and domain specific training to facilitate return to work, ability to function independently, the facilitation of specialized school placement, and forensic issues.

The Central Model for Cognitive Neuroscience and Education in Rehabilitation

Applied and Theoretical Linguistics Group

As language and communication are central and fundamental to traumatic brain dysfunction, developmental disabilities and training, intensive independent work in Applied and Theoretical Linguistics includes:

At its core, CERAN has a sharp focus on basic issues in Experimental Psychology, and extensions into two primary areas: (1) Human Factors Engineering and Design (HFED); and (2) Applied Cognitive Science, applied to Rehabilitation Sciences.

CERAN has developed an integrated research focus formalized through graduate training that addresses central issues of modern cognitive science applied to rehabilitation outlined in the figure below. Because of the significant opportunities (and potential problems) created by the rapid proliferation of information technologies, the core also includes focus specific to this domain, including the following: Psychology of Information Technology; and Logic and Computer Science. Rehabilitation Sciences cannot possibly be studied from a uni-disciplinary perspective.

CERAN'S mission stresses standard and novel strategies employing traditional Psychological as well as Engineering approaches to Rehabilitation Science clinically and experimentally focusing on the design of user-interface, instrumentation, technology, and principles to do what ever is necessary for the vocational rehabilitation of impaired individuals and children to get them in or returned to the work force or becoming more effective learners.

F. R. Carrick Institute [4][5][6][7]