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![](https://cdn.disabilityinnovation.com/uploads/images/_publicationImage/120465/PhD-7.webp?v=1706086040)
Type
Themes
Research Group
Nusrat Jahan and Catherine Holloway
This working paper was developed to support the development of challenge statements for a GDI Hub innovation challenge fund call related to improving access to and retention of employment for persons with disabilities in Kenya and Bangladesh and is written by GDI Hub's Nusrat Jahan and Professor Catherine Holloway.
The issue of disability and employment has taken centre stage on the global arena in part because it is recognised across several areas of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in which confrontation of extreme poverty in its many manifestations is the number one goal [2]. The World Health Organization (2011) reports about 15 percent of the world’s population has a disability [1]. In developing countries, 80 to 90 percent of people with disabilities of working age are unemployed.
![3D printing](https://cdn.disabilityinnovation.com/uploads/images/_publicationImage/765/3D-printing.webp?v=1706086039)
Type
Themes
Research Group
Sarah Kelly
A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University.
Loughborough University
![](https://cdn.disabilityinnovation.com/uploads/images/_publicationImage/120452/PhD-3.webp?v=1706086039%2C0.76%2C0.466)
Type
Themes
Anna Vlachaki
The literature shows that research into the aesthetic aspects of prostheses is limited. Although there are suggestions that prostheses with high levels of emotionally-driven design may improve users’ well-being, they are based only on theoretical findings. Therefore, in this thesis the effects of emotionally-driven prostheses on users’ lives and society’s attitudes were explored, with respect to culture and more specifically, the theories of individualism/ collectivism. In order to investigate the effects of culture, the research was conducted in two countries with different cultures; the UK (individualistic) and Greece (collectivistic). The thesis began with a literature review across three core areas: user, product and environment, and revealed the importance of investigating an additional area; that of prosthetists. The research employed a qualitative approach and consisted of four studies.
Loughborough University
![Kenyan man holding a prosthesis](https://cdn.disabilityinnovation.com/uploads/images/_publicationImage/6171/Amparo-prosthestics.webp?v=1706086038%2C0.6933%2C0.5349)
Type
Themes
Research Group
Rhys James Williams
Thesis: Firstly, the research provides a methodological contribution showing how to conduct mixed-methods research to obtain rich insights into complex prosthesis phenomena. Secondly, the research highlights the need to appreciate psychological and contextual factors when researching prosthesis wearer thermal comfort. The research contributions are also converted into an implication for prosthesis design. The concept of 'regaining control' to psychologically mitigate thermal discomfort could be incorporated into technologies by using 'on-demand' thermal discomfort relief, rather than 'always-on' solutions, as have been created in the past.
UCL, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing
![Screenshot of a page of the thesis describing function & Type of Maxillofacial Prostheses](https://cdn.disabilityinnovation.com/uploads/images/_publicationImage/120436/Screenshot-facial-prosthetics.webp?v=1706086036)
Type
Themes
Research Group
Sophia Esther Liiba Tetteh
A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University
Loughborough University
![A screenshot of examples of common interfaces of wheelchair use, a joy stick, head control and sip/puff switch](https://cdn.disabilityinnovation.com/uploads/images/_publicationImage/120431/common-interfaces.webp?v=1706086035)
Type
Themes
Dr Chinemelu Ejiamatu Muoma Ezeh
Doctoral Thesis. Independent mobility is fundamental to the quality of life of people with impairment. Most people with severe mobility impairments, whether congenital, e.g., from cerebral palsy, or acquired, e.g., from spinal cord injury, are prescribed a wheelchair. A small yet significant number of people are unable to use a typical powered wheelchair controlled with a joystick. Instead, some of these people require alternative interfaces such as a head- array or Sip/Puff switch to drive their powered wheelchairs. However, these alternative interfaces do not work for everyone and often cause frustration, fatigue and collisions. This thesis develops a novel technique to help improve the usability of some of these alternative interfaces, in particular, the head-array and Sip/Puff switch.
UCL (University College London)