Independent Perspective #1620

Guest:  Kimberly Naus

Topic:  TRAID Project Upright Go Posture Trainer

Duration:  06:00

Published:  October 29, 2020

Host:  Welcome to Independent Perspective, a public affairs presentation of Western New York Independent Living (WNYIL). Our guest today is Kimberly Naus, Director of the Center for Assistive Technology (CAT) at the University at Buffalo (UB), and your host is yours truly, Ernie Churchwell. Welcome to the program, Kim.

Guest:  Thank you for having me, Ernie.

Host:  It's our pleasure. And although you're here to talk about a device which people with certain disabilities might want to take with them, first you'd like to tell us that you're here under the auspices of TRAID. What is that and what does it do for people?

Guest:  Yes, TRAID is the acronym TRAID for Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities. It's a federally funded program that's administered by the New York State Commission on the Quality of Care and advocacy for individuals with disabilities. The purpose for the program is to increase awareness and to enable people to be exposed to devices that they're unsure about with various ailments. And then they can actually borrow the device to see if this device will work for them to enhance their functional capabilities, where it could be something as simple as a modified toothbrush to something as complex as a voice activated computer system or smart home.

Host:  Considering these are the days of the pandemic, are people still able to come to you or do you go to them?

Guest:  Currently how we've been handling this due to the pandemic is everything remote. So, when they would call me, I would email them the loan form with the various devices on there. And then they would email me back saying they're in agreement, and then we would schedule a safe distancing pickup, meaning they would get here I would meet him in the parking lot, we you know with my PPE on, my face mask. And then I would give them a device. We're omitting exchanging any paperwork. And then when the device comes back, we ask that it's cleaned, very well. And of course, then when we retrieve it, we wipe it down and clean it a second time. It's been working out really well we've even been in situations where we've mailed out devices when the pandemic first hit. But now that we can do some face to face, you know, people can come to our center but in the parking lot.

Host:  I believe that you have some information on something that may help certain individuals with their posture issues, could you tell us about Upright Go?

Guest:  Yes. It's a very cool device. It's inexpensive runs about $30 and it vibrates every time you would slouch. So what you do is you actually apply this to the middle of your shoulder blades, you would download the Smart App, either on your smartphone or an iPad, iTouch. And what it does is it sends a buzz when you start to slouch, so it encourages you to sit upright, which then will approve your posture, naturally. And it's designed for all day use. You can sit comfortably with it on and it gives you biofeedback to track your posture. So, you might find you know maybe you're slouching because you're stressed over a situation so if you have a scheduled appointment. You know, and you're on the phone with a particular person and all of a sudden, you know the biofeedback is showing stress and tension. You know what's causing that, which can be very helpful and its real time. It's strengthens your back, your core muscle, and it gives you better spinal support. There's no straps, no belts, it just it's very easy. And they also have added a necklace to it so if people are uncomfortable with the being on their back or they perspire and it falls off, there's a real nice comfortable necklace that can also be attached to it.

Host:  People will have questions how can they reach you?

Guest:  Yes, they can reach me at my phone here in the office, which is 716-836-1350. Again, that's 716-836-1350. Or they can email me with the subject TRAID in there at ksnaus@buffalo.edu

Host:  Thanks for being with us, Kim.

Guest:  Thank you very much, Ernie, I greatly appreciate it.

Host:  You've been listening to Independent Perspective, a Public Affairs presentation of WNYIL. Our guest today was Kimberly Naus, Director of UB's CAT and your host was yours truly, Ernie Churchwell.