Design and construction began in 1997 and involved five subcontractors. The mobile system was shipped to New Mexico in May 1998, and the fixed system began installation in June 1998. GT John Toon is director of Tech's Research News and Publications Office. A new rehabilitative device combines form and function to improve the lives of disabled children By T.J. Becker Prone standers, such as this one developed at Tech, allow small children with mobility impairments to stand upright. Taking a giant step forward for non-ambulatory children, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a rehabilitative device called a prone stander that takes the angst out of therapy.
Prone standers allow children with mobility impairments to stand upright.
Proper weight-bearing on long bones helps prevent osteoporosis while improving circulation, muscle tone and functioning of internal organs. To help children keep a positive mindset, Mary Lou Tierney, a master's graduate of Georgia Tech's industrial design program, has created a prone stander with lots of panache. Prone standers traditionally have been designed to work at the therapist's level-meaning that children are elevated to adult height. Many children spend three or four hours a day in a prone stander, and that is a long time to be separated from playmates. Corkran helped Tierney with mechanical issues and construction of the prototype.