Research

Research funding in the Global North has become an increasingly competitive space where demonstrable real-world impact is paramount for any research proposal to have a realistic chance of being funded. As a multi-sector, multi-partner, inter-disciplinary research centre with a global focus, GDI Hub is well placed to influence the mission of research funders and to access a diverse and cross-disciplinary funding pool in order to further our mission.

The Hub is developing at pace to become the world’s leading research center on disability innovation. We have therefore adopted four research principles that any potential activities must encompass, that are in line with our overall vision, mission, and objectives. GDI Hub research projects must:

  1. Have disabled people at the center of the research project life cycle, from design to delivery
  2. Be ambitious and innovative in scope
  3. Be created with interdisciplinary teams, utilizing expertise from across GDI Hub partner
  4. Leverage international partnerships to maximize global reach

GDI Hub’s Academic Research Centre is led by our Academic Director at University College London (UCL).

Sculpture of a giant character on top of a space hopper with wheelchair users interacting with the sculpture via their mobile phone
Europe

Disability Interactions in Digital Games: Workshop at CHI Play 2019

We are very keen to have a mixture of academic and non-academic papers at this workshop therefore, we would like to invite additional contributions in the format of a social paper OR a standard 4-page CHI extended abstract. Social papers are maximum one page in length and act as a CV for networking. These can be submitted by anyone interested in the area of accessibility and gaming. We have extended the deadline to the 1st of October.

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Logo of the title of the project: fit for purpose prosthetics. For is represented by the number four which in the center has a hand with half an arm that appear to be a prosthetic.
Asia | Africa | Europe

Fit-for-purpose, affordable body-powered prostheses

Fit-for-purpose, affordable body-powered prostheses is designing upper limb prostheses that are both low cost and fit for their purpose and circumstance. The project is funded through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Global Challenges Research Fund.

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A picture of a computer model of a dynamic seat for children with severe movement disorders
Europe

Dynamic seating for children with severe movement disorders

GDI Hub is working with Designability to evaluate a new kind of seat that moves with the child and enables them to explore movement while they are seated and well supported

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Man using a latop to operate a wheelchair
Europe

CROWDBOT

CROWDBOT will enable mobile robots to navigate autonomously and assist humans in crowded areas, rather than simply stopping when the going gets tough.

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A computer generated 3D model of a wheelchair on a blue chequered background.
Europe

Power-up! - Fuelling the next generation of assistive technologies

A research project to understand how and when manual wheelchair users need and use power assistance and to determine if fuel cell technology is suitable for the power requirements of assistive technology, specifically wheelchairs.

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A female wheelchair user in dark clothes and beanie hat ascending a ramp from right to left in a sports hall.
Europe

ARCCS - Accessible Routes from Crowdsourced Cloud Services

Ongoing research where we have developed a new technique for wheelchair localisation and surface determination using a fusion of GPS/IMU information and machine learning. Data captured helps wheelchair users travel in a more effective ways and share data to demonstrate accessibility issues and encourage improvements.

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