HERL

The Human Engineering Research Laboratories Quarterly

Meet some of the world's lightest, most versatile wheelchairs, As featured in Paraplegia News.

Volume 25, Number 1.
January through March 2026

Built for agility, one fold at a time.

The ultra-lightweight, pressed aluminum Kirigami wheelchairs provide a level of customization, affordability, and comfort not seen in the market for decades.

From the home to the airport, the Rugby match, the tennis court, the alpine ski trails, and back, there's a chair for every occasion.

We tested our innovation with eleven participants who cited the adjustability, repairability, and implications of this wheelchair on decreasing the barrier of entry to sport as its best features.

Exercise and participation in sport can have physical, psychological, and social benefits to persons with disabilities. The high cost ($5,000 to $12,000 USD) and long lead times of sport wheelchairs is a common barrier to participation.

Rehabilitation and Recreation

The Human Engineering Research Laboratories host another successful adaptive sports competition with the 2026 Keystone Wheelchair Games.

Pittsburgh, PA, Feb. 20, 2026—The Human Engineering Research Laboratories hosted the Keystone Wheelchair Games for its second year in a row in February. The single-day, multi-sport competition boasted a similar program in its second iteration, with boccia, table tennis, cornhole, and slalom played alongside a poker rally aimed at fostering athlete engagement with local disability community organizations. Omitting last year’s weightlifting category, the closing medal ceremony was given a greater time slot to accommodate for the larger number of participating athletes this year. Speaking to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, first time participant, Austin Walters, said of the games: “It was a great turnout and really brought everyone together. It brings out the competitive nature in everyone, and you can see a fire light up in them, and that is amazing.” Lester Bennett, who was Walters’ partner in several events, added: “In this setting, you are not bonding over the negative aspects of having a disability, but over those positives aspects of having a disability such as overcoming your barriers.”

The games come at a time of the year when wheelchair users are thought to be at their most sedentary and the need for exercise and camaraderie are at their peak during the Winter months. Adaptive sports have begun to see wider adoption in recent years as the barriers to entry are diminished and competitions garner wider attention. Move United, an organization that promotes sports and recreation in the disability community, aims to expand its programs to 90% US population coverage by 2028, and HERL researchers are already working on solutions to accommodate and expand that accessibility in a partnership with the University of Illinois under the Power of Play RERC launched in 2023.

Jessica Steinberg, a research engineer with an MS in Mechanical Engineering, has received awards for her work on a line of ultra lightweight, fully customizable sheet metal wheelchairs for tennis, rugby, and Nordic skiing.

Dr. Jon Duvall, Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh and a Research Biomedical Engineer for the Department of Veterans Affairs, is currently prototyping 3D printed sports and recreation devices for users with limited mobility and manipulation. His team is currently manufacturing assistive tools for golf, billiards, cornhole, swimming, and curling(!).

Some photos from the Keystone Games.

Keystone Games participants gathered for a group photo after the event.
Austin Walters and Lester Bennett making their way through the slalom course.
Joe Gilkinson in the zone during a tough match of cornhole.
John Kellner, DJ Stemmler, and Sean Ferry receiving their medals at the end of the games.

Accolades and Events

Celebrating our best moments and achievements from the past three months.

Director, Dr. Rory Cooper, spoke at the Pitt Staff Council Conversations Series, the Social Justice Symposium, and was the keynote speaker at TIRR in January. He won the US Forces in Business Lifetime Achievement Award, and published a book chapter on the Prescriptions of Wheelchairs and Seating Systems the same month. He was a keynote speaker at the Burj Global Power conference in March, where he also won an achievement award.

Medical Director, DR. BRAD DICIANNO, gave lectures at the AAP Annual Meeting in February, and Assistive Technology for Persons with Intellectual and Physical Disabilities Conference in March. He published three papers this quarter. His research assistants, Owen Flaugh, and Jeffrey Petigrow, also presented at AAP where they won an honorary mention for their work.

Senior Associate Director for Research, DR. ALICIA KOONTZ's, researchers gave presentations at RESNA 2026 in March, where research engineer JESSICA STEINBERG's mentee became a Student Design Challenge finalist.

DRS. PARK SANGMI, JORGE CANDIOTTI, JASON RAAD, and ROSEMARIE COOPER presented their research at 2026 Digital health Summit in January. Dr. Raad was promoted to Assistant Professor in the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in January. Dr. Park also published a paper in January, and presented at the World Federation of occupational Therapists in February.

DR. GARRETT GRINDLE adressed graduate students in the ECE Grad Seminar Series, and DR. JON DUVALL spoke at the ISS Virtual Professional Summit, in February.

Major milestone: Our TTAP (Technology Transfer Assistance Program) and BRAVE Commercialization Support Program have been recognized with a Federal Laboratories Consortium (FLC) Innovation Award for their impact in advancing the commercialization of VA-developed technologies and strengthening the pathway from VA innovations to real-world use for Veterans.

Our progress this quarter: 6 manuscripts published in major peer-reviewed journals, 1 patent awarded by the CIPO, 20 lectures and visits from distinguished peers and organizations to our lab, 8 media features of our research, 5 awards received for our research.

Publications

Monofilament Testing to Identify Insensate Regions of the Residual Limb of Individuals with Transtibial Amputation
- The purpose of this study was to describe a monofilament test method for identifying areas that lack protective sensation in individuals with transtibial amputation (TTA).
Machine Learning-Based Classification of Wheelchair Task Intensity for Injury Risk Prediction:
- This study investigated the feasibility of classifying activity intensity for wheelchair-related tasks using wearable sensors and supervised machine learning.
Board Game–Based Training on Community Mobility of Mobility Device Users: A Validation Study
- This study aimed to validate two game elements: transportation scenarios and a series of response options, respectively representing real-life transportation barriers and corresponding strategies to address these challenges.
Women Veterans and Mobility Aids:
- This study aimed to conduct a needs assessment to learn about women Veterans’ needs, priorities, preferences, and experiences with mobility assistive technology (MAT).
Variability in Cystatin C- and Creatinine-Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in Adults With Spina Bifida
- This study’s objective was to determine if serum cystatin C, which does not depend on muscle mass, is a potential alternative measure of kidney function in individuals with Spina Bifida and lower urinary tract dysfunction.
In-Field Ecological Momentary Assessment From Wearable Motion Sensors and Self-Report in a Chronic Low Back Pain Cohort
- This study used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and wearable devices to collect real-time data in a large cohort of adults with cLBP.

William’s corner

Insights from our community

I am a Senior Lecturer at Florida State University (FSU) specializing in accessibility standards, workforce accommodations, leadership, and applied learning. As a two-time quadriplegic, I firmly believe in the disability advocacy adage: “Nothing about us without us.” With this perspective in mind, I encourage my fellow readers and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) survivors to engage with the Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL).

I first learned about HERL’s innovative work while serving as a Presidential appointee to the U.S. Access Board (2002 – 11). HERL was one of the presenters on our standard-setting work. At the time, we were focusing on transportation, outdoor accessibility, and public rights-of-way.

Years later, Dr. Rory Cooper, the Director of HERL, visited FSU as a guest lecturer in our College of Medicine. During his lecture, he emphasized the power of adaptive technology, the importance of lived experiences, and the need for cross-disciplinary collaboration to promote independence and self-sufficiency in the SCI community. Over dinner, I shared my modest attempts at mini golf and a friendly competition with friends. After hearing about my duct-taped apparatus, he mentioned that HERL might be able to help!

Before the night ended, he introduced me via email to Dr. Jon Duvall, a fellow quadriplegic and a member of his research team. Over the next few months, Jon and I collaborated to transform my makeshift duct-taped solution into a more durable, less painful design. His 3D-printed adaptive technology (AT) not only secured the putter for me but also improved the stability of my golfing motion. This partnership significantly improved my game, allowing me to compete effectively against my wife, friends, and personal care assistants.

As a former varsity athlete who enjoys winning, I knew intuitively that we could further upgrade the equipment. My journey to elevate my game continues with four FSU undergraduate bioengineering students: Kassandra Abreu, Jordan Brown, Kennedie Cearlock, and Kayla Kirchknopf. These students evaluated Dr. Duvall’s design, studied my body mechanics, and focused on making the solution simple, functional, and intuitive.

Through my collaborations with Dr. Duvall, I was introduced to Dr. Brandon Daveler, another member of the HERL team and a fellow quadriplegic. He has significantly contributed to numerous HERL innovations, including a waterproof pneumatic power wheelchair. Currently, he is designing a collapsible wheelchair that can fit into a van without a ramp. The challenges with Accessible and affordable transportation presents major barriers to employment, healthcare, and overall independence for the SCI community. Avoiding reliance on an expensively modified vehicle could be transformative.

For me, this research is deeply personal. It transforms recreation from a frustrating hobby into something I can fully enjoy. Competitive adaptive mini-golf is more than play; it symbolizes progress from improvisation to innovation and from exclusion to belonging. I hope to achieve a hole-in-one on demand during their capstone presentation in April. The pressure is on, but it’s all good fun. With practice, I aspire to break par one day!

With my experience in national and state rulemaking in the transportation sector, I was invited to serve as one of the peer mentors on this project. I find it incredibly satisfying and intellectually stimulating to solve problems, particularly those that affect us personally, which is at the heart of advocacy.

One challenge in scientific research and public policy is obtaining a sufficient sample size for analysis. The issue is not that we do not exist; rather, it is about how to get involved, whom to contact, and how to make a genuine commitment to follow through. We cannot address our shared problems if we do not take part in the solutions. We need to support each other to ensure that decisions are made with us, not without us.

JR Harding
Senior Lecturer, FSU

Recruiting Participants

Photo Gallery

Drs. Duvall and Candiotti at TIGRR
the 2026 annual NDU lab visit
SHPE students during their tour of HERL
Dr. Cooper on stage at the Burj Industry Awards
Gavin Paulhamus and his friends in Ireland
Scenes from the 2026 Keystone Wheelchair Games
Dr. Cooper and Rosi Cooper at the start of the Special Olympics opening celebrations in Seven Springs.

In the News

We extend our gratitude to our partners

NIDILRR
PVA
NSF
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HERL Newsletter Vol 25, No 1 (Text)