Publications

Book

“Patient-Centered Design of Cognitive Assistive Technology for Traumatic Brain Injury Telerehabilitation,” a book by Elliot Cole, PhD, 2013. Available for free download in many academic libraries. Available for purchase on amazon.com for the print edition and content-preview. This book is part of the Morgan and Claypool computer science series on Assistive, Rehabilitative, & Health-Preserving Technologies.

Abstract

Computer software has been productive in helping individuals with cognitive disabilities. Personalizing the user interface is an important strategy in designing software for these users, because of the barriers created by conventional user interfaces for the cognitively disabled. Cognitive assistive technology (CAT) has typically been used to provide help with everyday activities, outside of cognitive rehabilitation therapy.

This book describes a quarter-century of computing R&D at the Institute for Cognitive Prosthetics, focusing on the needs of individuals with cognitive disabilities from brain injury. Models and methods from Human Computer Interaction (HCI) have been particularly valuable, initially in illuminating those needs. Subsequently HCI methods have expanded CAT to be powerful rehabilitation therapy tools, restoring some damaged cognitive abilities which have resisted conventional therapy.

Patient-Centered Design (PCD) emerged as a design methodology which incorporates both clinical and technical factors. PCD also takes advantage of the patient's ability to redesign and refine the user interface, and to achieve a very good fit between user and system. Therapy delivered to the home makes it practical to integrate the patient's actual activities into therapy, and has a rich set of advantages for the many stakeholders involved with brain injury rehabilitation.

Table of Contents

Overview / Some Clinical Features of the Cognitive Disabilities Domain / Adapting Computer Software To Address Cognitive Disabilities / The Primacy of the User Interface / Patient-Centered Design / Cognitive Prosthetics Telerehabilitation / The Active User and the Engaged User / Outcomes and Anomalies / Conclusions, Factors Influencing Outcomes, Anomalies, and Opportunities.

Papers, Presentations & Media Coverage

These papers trace three themes in our work. First, computer technology can uniquely help people with moderate to profound cognitive deficits and increase their participation in everyday activities in the home, in the community, at school, and at work. This theme also involves techniques and methods of software design for people with cognitive deficits.

The second theme is that cognitively impaired users typically provide significant contributions to the design of their software. More important, these designs highly leverage the individual’s abilities toward maximizing personal performance.

The third theme is the design of a delivery system, and scalability. We have 2 classes of users: (1) individuals with cognitive disabilities and (2) professionals who address the needs of these individuals. These professionals develop new treatment modalities and techniques for working with their clients.

Patient-Centered Design: Interface personalization for individuals with brain injury”, Elliot Cole, PhD Proceedings of HCI International, HCI (6): 291-300 (2011) – Orlando, July 11,2011.
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“Lessons learned and challenges discovered in developing cognitive technology for individuals with brain injury”, Elliot Cole, PhD. presentation at CHI 2011 workshop on Dynamic Accessibility: Detecting and accommodating differences in ability and situation. Vancouver, BC May 9, 2011. ACM 978-1-4503-0268-5/11/05

“Cognitive Prosthetics and tele-rehabilitation: Technological scaffolding for the treatment of cognitive deficits from TBI” – Elliot Cole, PhD, Presentation at the Syracuse NY VA Medical Center, April 15, 2008.

“Technological support for individuals with cognitive disabilities: The role of i-Schools” Elliot Cole, PhD, Presentation to Syracuse University School of Information Studies, April 14, 2008.

“Technological scaffolding for individuals with cognitive disabilities: Unleashing abilities” Elliot Cole PhD, Presentation to Syracuse University School of Education – April 14, 2008.

“Technological Scaffolding for Students with Brain Injury and Learning Disabilities” February 26, 2008.

“TBI and return to work: Lessons learned from the use of technological tools”, Presentation to Burton Blatt Institute, Syracuse University. February 18, 2008.

“Technological Scaffolding with cognitive prosthetics for TBI cognitive rehabilitation” May 23, 2007.

“Patient-centered design as a research strategy for cognitive prosthetics: Lessons learned from working with patients and clinicians for 2 decades”
Keynote address to the Workshop on Designing Technology for People with Cognitive Impairments, ACM SIGCHI Conference 2006, Montreal, April 22-3, 2006. Click here for PowerPoint Slides.

“A field experiment with a high school student with severe learning disabilities” Elliot Cole, Ph.D., Working Paper June 2003

“Telerehabilitation uses technology to bridge gaps in care” Sharon Rolene, Headlines,Minnesota Brain Injury Association, Winter 2003.

“Cognitive Prosthetics and Wearable Computers” Elliot Cole, Ph.D., DARPA/ MIT Workshop on Attention and Memory in Wearable Interfaces, MIT Media Lab, January 13, 2003.

“The Future is Now”, Sonya M. Wilt, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, National Council of State Boards of Examiners of Speech and Language Pathologists and Audiologists, invited paper, Annual Conference, St. Louis, Oct 18 – 19, 2002

“Riding the Brain Waves”, Elliot Cole, Ph.D., Advance for Providers of Post-Acute Care, January/February 2001.

“Telerehabilitation: New Tools for Brain Injury Rehabilitation” Michelle Ziegmann, OTL/R, Anita Lichtenberg, MPH, Roberta Brooks MA-CCC, Elliot Cole, Ph.D. OT Practice November 5, 2001

Ziegmann, Michelle OTR/L BCN; Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; Wu, Yue, MS; Yonker, Valerie, Ph.D. “Design and Implementation of Cognitive Assistive Technology”. Presentation at POTA 23rd Annual Conference, October 13-14, 2000.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; Ziegmann, Michelle, OTR/L; Wu, Yue, MS; Yonker, Valerie, Ph.D.; Gustafson, Candace, RN; and Cirwithen, Suedell. “Use of “Therapist Friendly” Tools in Cognitive Assistive Technology and Telerehabilitation”. Presentation at RESNA Annual Conference, June 28 – July 2, 2000.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; Ziegmann, Michelle, OTR/L; Gustafson, Candace, RN; and Cirwithen, Suedell. “Therapists’ Use of Patient Functional Data from Telerehabilitation in Home Settings.” Presentation to the Brain Injury Association Annual Symposium, Chicago, IL, July 30 – Aug 1, 2000.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; Ziegmann, Michelle, OTR/L; and Lichtenberg, Anita, MPH. “The Delivery of Rehabilitation Services to the Home: Adding Technology to the Toolkit”.
Kennedy Krieger Institute, Home and Community Rehabilitation Rounds, November 1, 1999.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; Gustafson, Candace, RN; Cirwithen, Suedell, AA; Ziegmann, Michelle, OTR/L. “User-Friendly Technology for Cognitive Rehabilitation” Invited presentation to the Brain Injury Association of Illinois, October 15 – 16, 1999.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; and Matthews, Jr., Michael K., MD, Ph.D. “Cognitive Prosthetics and Telerehabilitation”, Proceedings of Basil Therapy Congress, Basel, Switzerland, Pp. 111 – 120. June 1999.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Cognitive Prosthetics: An Overview to a Method of Treatment”, NeuroRehabilitation 12(1): 39 – 51 (1999).

Wilt, Sonya, Ph.D., CCC/SLP; Cole, Elliot, Ph.D., Mahr, Richard, Psy.D., Yonker, Valerie, Ph.D., Wu, Yue, MS. “Computer Based Cognitive Prosthetics: Meeting Clients’ Functional Priorities.” Workshop Presentation to the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX, November 15 – 19, 1998.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D; and Dehdashti, Parto. “Computer-Based Cognitive Prosthetics: Assistive Technology for the Treatment of Cognitive Disabilities” Assets 98: The Third International ACM Conference on Assistive Technologies, ACM SIGCAPH April 15 – 17, 1998 NY: ACM Press 1998. Available on the web at: www.acm.org

Matthews, Jr., Michael K., MD, Ph.D., and Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “High-Achieving Individuals with Brain Injury: Asymmetric Improvement of Cognitive Function after Cognitive Rehabilitation” ANPA Abstract published in Journal of Neuropsychiatry, 1998 Vol. 9; P. 639.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Cognitive Prosthetics and Assistive Technology” Workshop organized and presented at the Brain Injury Association National Symposium, Philadelphia, PA. November 1-4, 1997.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “New Treatment Methods for Executive Dysfunction” Panel presentation at the Brain Injury Association National Symposium, Philadelphia, PA, November 1-4, 1997.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; Dehdashti, Parto; and Yonker, Valerie “Treatment of Plateaued Traumatic Brain Injury Patients by Using Computer-Based Cognitive Prosthetics: A Field Study” NIH Neural Prosthesis Workshop, October 15-17, 1997.

Matthews, Jr., Michael K., MD, Ph.D., and Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Comparison of Independence Training” Presentation at American Neuropsychiatric Association Annual Conference. Abstract published in Journal of Neuropsychiatry, 9(1): 155. September, 1997.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Computer-Based Cognitive Prosthetics for the Treatment of Acquired Cognitive Disorders,” Second World Congress on Brain Injury, Seville, Spain. May 9-14, 1997.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. and Matthews, Jr., Michael K., MD, Ph.D., “Participatory Design and Usability in a Computer-Based Prosthetic Approach to Cognitive Rehabilitation” Poster Presentation, 19th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Neurorehabilitation April, 1997.

Matthews, Jr., Michael K., MD, Ph.D. and Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Progression of Dementia in Neuroacanthocytosis and Comparison of Independence Training and a Computer-Based Cognitive Prosthetic Approach to Cognitive Recovery in a Head-Injured Patient.” Abstract Presentation, Eighth Annual Meeting of the American Neuropsychiatric Association (ANPA), Walt Disney World Village, Orlando, FL February 2-4, 1997.

Physicians Health Programs – Computers Help Reprogram Injured Brains-1996 Friedman, Mark and Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Opportunities for AI in the Use of Computer-Based Cognitive Prosthetics” AAAI Fall Workshop on AI for Disabilities, AAI Press, November 19-23, 1996.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; Matthews, Jr., Michael K., MD, Ph.D.; Petti, Linda; and DeStefano, Mary “Tutorial on Computer-Based Cognitive Prosthetics.” Organized and presented at the Brain Injury Association National Symposium, Dallas, TX, November, 1996.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; DeStefano, Mary; and Petti, Linda “Cost Effective Treatment of Brain Injury.” Presentation at the Medical Case Management Conference, Orlando, FL. September, 1996.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. and Matthews, Jr., Michael K., MD, Ph.D., “A Computer-Based Cognitive Prosthesis Developed for a Young Stroke Patient” Journal of Neuropsychiatry 7;415 1995.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Survivor Contributions to the Design of Complex Compensatory Strategies” Workshop at the National Head Injury Foundation Annual Symposium, November 6-8, 1994.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; Dehdashti, Parto; Matthews, Jr., Michael K., MD, Ph.D. & Petti, Linda, “Rapid Functional Improvement and Generalization in a Young Stroke Patient Following Computer-Based Cognitive Prosthetic Intervention”, Presentation at NIH Neural Prosthesis Workshop, Bethesda, MD, October 19-21, 1994.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; Dehdashti, Parto; Petti, Linda; Angert, Marlene, Ed. D. “Design and Outcomes of Computer-Based Cognitive Prosthetics for Brain Injury: A Field Study of 3 Subjects”, Neurorehabilitation, Vol. 4, No.3. July, 1994.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; Dehdashti, Parto; Petti, Linda; Angert Ed.D., Marlene, and Dray, Susan “Participatory Design with Cognitively Impaired Users: The Insight of Brain Injury Patients Designing Their Prosthetic Software.” Paper presented at the International Symposium on Human Factors in Organizational Design and Management, Stockholm, Sweden, May 31, 1994.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Organizational Factors Influencing the Design of a Technology-Based Therapy” Paper presented at the International Symposium on Human Factors in Organizational Design and Management in Stockholm, Sweden, May 31, 1994.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; Dehdashti, Parto; Petti, Linda; Angert, Marlene, Ed.D. “Participatory Design for Sensitive Interface Parameters: Contributions of Traumatic Brain Injury Patients to Their Prosthetic Software”, CHI ’94, ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Poster Sessions, Boston, MA, April 26-27, 1994.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Computer-Based Cognitive Prosthetics: An Update on Research in Progress” Rehabilitation Grand Rounds, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, February 1, 1994.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; Dehdashti, Parto; Petti, Linda “Patient Participation in the Design of Complex Compensatory Strategies”, Society for Cognitive Rehabilitation Conference on Applied Cognitive Rehabilitation: A Training Seminar, Atlanta, GA. December 3-4, 1993

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; Petti, Linda; Matthews, Jr., Michael K. MD; Dehdashti, Parto “Participatory Design in Computer-Based Cognitive Prosthetics”, Presentation at NIH Neural Prosthesis Workshop. October 13-15, 1993

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Computer-Based Cognitive Prosthetics: Applying Computer Science Concepts to BrainInjury Rehabilitation” Neurology Grand Rounds, Medical College of Pennsylvania, October 12, 1993.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D; Dehdashti, Parto. “Interface Design Techniques for Cognitive Prosthetic Software for Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury” Presented at the 5th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Orlando, FL. August 8-13, 1993.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Computer-Based Cognitive Prosthetics: An Update on Research in Progress” Colloquium at the Medical Research Council, Applied Psychology Unit, Cambridge, England, July 2, 1993.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; Dehdashti, Parto; Petti, Linda “Implementing Complex Compensatory Strategies for Brain Injury.” Presentation to the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, 70th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, June 25-27, 1993. Abstract published in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 74(6): 672, June 25-27, 1993.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Design Parameters and Outcomes for Cognitive Prosthetic Software with Brain Injury Patients”, Proceedings of the 15th Annual RESNA Conference, Las Vegas, NV. June 7-12, 1993.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Designing Prosthetic Systems for Brain Injury” Workshop on “Computing for Persons With Special Needs.” Philadelphia Area Computer Society, Philadelphia, PA, January 16, 1993.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Computer Based Cognitive Prosthetics” National Head Injury Foundation Annual Symposium Pre-Conference Course, Boston, MA. December 8, 1992.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; Dehdashti, Parto; Petti, Linda; Angert, Marlene “Computer Software as a Cognitive Orthotic”. Presented at NIH Workshop on Neural Prosthetics, Bethesda, MD, Oct 13-15, 1992.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Enhancing the User Interface” RESNA Pre-Conference Instructional Course, RESNA International, 1992 Conference, Toronto, Canada, June 7, 1992.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. and Dehdashti, Parto “Prosthetic Software for Individuals with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Case Study of Client and Therapists”. Proceedings of the RESNA International 1992 Conference, pp170-172 Toronto, Canada. June 6-11, 1992.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. and Dehdashti, Parto “Cognitive Prosthetics,” RESNA Pre-Conference Instructional Course, RESNA International 1992 Conference, Toronto, Canada, June 6, 1992.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. and Dehdashti, Parto “Interface Design for Individuals with Mild Learning Disabilities from Traumatic Brain Injury”. Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI, 1992, P. 16, Monterey, CA, May 3-7, 1992.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. and Trauth, Eileen M. “The Organizational Interface: A Method for Supporting End Users of Packaged Software.” MIS Quarterly, Vol. 16 (1), P. 35-53. March, 1992.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Cognitive Prosthetics: Software.” Pre-Conference Instructional Course Faculty, Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America (RESNA), Kansas City, MO, June 1991.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Community Re-Entry and Vocational Training: Recent Advances in Alleviating Limitations Due to Enduring Cognitive Deficits.” Panel Presentation, National Head Injury Foundation 9th Annual Symposium Proceedings, P. 77-78, New Orleans, LA, November, 1990.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Cognitive Prosthetics for TBI.” Presentation at Keystone Head Injury Annual Meeting, Seven Springs, PA, November, 1990.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. and Dehdashti, Parto “Interface Design as a Prosthesis for Individuals with Brain Injuries”. SIG/CHI Bulletin, 22(1): P. 28-32, July, 1990.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “A Multi-Functional Computer-Based Cognitive Orthosis for a Traumatic Brain Injured Individual with Cognitive Deficits”. Proceedings, Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America 13th Annual Conference, P. 387-388, June, 1990.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Enhancing the User Interface: Software Design Consideration for Individuals with Acquired Cognitive Deficits.” Pre-Conference Instructional Course Faculty, Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America, June 1990.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. “Interface Design as a Prosthesis for Individuals with Brain Injuries.” Presentation at Human Factors in Computing Systems ACM SIG/CHI ’90. Seattle, WA, May 2-5, 1990.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D.; Abbot, Nan; and Foschi, Maria “Word Processing as a Compensatory Device in the Traumatically Head-Injured Survivor.” Cognitive Rehabilitation Vol. 7(1): 36-38, January/February, 1989.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. and Dehdashti, Parto “Increasing Personal Productivity of Adults with Brain Injury through Interface Design.” Presentation at ACM SIG/CHI 88, May 1988, Washington, D.C., (abstract Only) SIG/CHI Bulletin, October, 1988.

Cole, Elliot, Ph.D. and Bergman, Marilyn “Application of Theory and Methods from Computer Science to the Use of Microcomputers for Community Re-Entry of Closed Head Trauma Clients.” (Abstract Only) Cognitive Rehabilitation Vol. 5(4): 29 (July/August 1987), Presentation at Cognitive Rehabilitation Conference, Medical College of Virginia, September, 1987.

See: “Cognitive Prostheses for Brain Impaired.” Review by William J. Lynch, Ph.D., Technology Editor, Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation 5(3):78-80 (1990). A Review of Dr. Elliot. Cole’s work.