SBIR-STTR Award

Once it is determined that a brain-injury victim will survive, family members are faced with a multitude of life-changing problems which they are not equipped to handle. Educational programs are sporadic for these families, who are shocked by the sudden event, unprepared for the drastic life changes they face, and untrained for the role of primary caregiver which they inevitably must assume. A viable, dependable method is needed to help families make emotional adjustments and prepare for this new role. The innovative use of multimedia and voice recognition technology can provide such a method. We will develop an interactive case study method that allows family members of recently brain-injured individuals to interview members of more experienced families, their injured relatives, and the health professionals involved. In Phase 1, we will produce a prototype case study, make it available to families who are new to the experience, and evaluate the method. In Phase 11, we will create a comprehensive, 'multicultural library of interactive multimedia brain injury case studies and perform a longitudinal study of the effect.Awardee's statement of the potential commercial applications of the research:The library of interactive multimedia case studies will be used for family education in acquired brain injury and other neurological injuries. It will be offered to every acute and post-acute rehabilitation program, as well as to all community and teaching hospitals.National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Every event of brain injury is sudden and unexpected, and families of the brain injured are often unprepared for the drastic life changes they face. Researchers agree that families who have had experience with brain injury caregiving are excellent role models who provide emotional support and practical knowledge. In Phase I, IDI produced a voice-activated multimedia prototype that allows caregivers to directly dialogue with experienced peers. It demonstrated that this multimedia model is a feasible method of communication for this group, and that family caregivers not only accept this approach but are enthusiastic about it. In Phase II, IDI will develop a series of new case studies, providing expanded content recommended by Phase I test participants, and will determine the impact of these programs on families who have only recently experienced a brain injury. The new interviews will be designed to enable any family member, regardless of race, gender, age, family role, or economic status, to gain insights and knowledge through virtual dialogues with experienced peers. A rigorous controlled study will be conducted to measure the effect of these Virtual Conversations/TM program on practical knowledge, emotional support, and the communication between family members. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: The library of interactive interviews will be distribute to acute care hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals and rehabilitation units, physicians, HMOs, and insurance companies throughout the country. Distribution ch channels will include advocacy associations and organizations. Promotional activities will include advertising, conferences, direct mailings and direct sales.

Thesaurus Terms:
brain injury, caregiver, education evaluation /planning, health education, home health care, interactive multimedia computer assisted instruction, computer program /software, computer simulation, computer system design /evaluation, coping, optical data storage human subject