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ACL Awards Three Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) Program Grants

October 21, 2022



ACL's National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) is announcing three 2022 Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) Program grantees. The planned project period for these grants is September 1, 2022 - August 31, 2027 with an estimated award amount of $925,000 per year for each grantee. 



The purpose of the RERC program is to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act by conducting advanced engineering research on and development of innovative technologies that are designed to solve particular rehabilitation problems or to remove environmental barriers. RERCs also demonstrate and evaluate such technologies, facilitate service delivery system changes, stimulate the production and distribution of new technologies and equipment in the private sector, and provide training opportunities.

RERC Grant Recipients:

  • RERC on Recreational, Sport, and Exercise Technologies for People with Disabilities: University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL. This project will conduct research and development to address barriers to participation in healthful recreation, sport, and exercise among people with disabilities of all ages, including adapted equipment, telehealth programs to promote physical activity, a platform to offer physical education inclusion solutions, and a data repository to expedite research and practice.
  • RERC on Blindness and Low Vision: Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, San Francisco, CA. This project will develop research to explore problems faced by blind and visually-impaired people concerning access to education and information, navigation and spatial interactions (such as digital maps with audio interface), and optimizing function with residual vision.
  • RERC on Rehabilitation Strategies, Techniques, and Interventions: North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. Stroke remains the leading cause of major, long-term disability in US adults due to sensory-motor impairments. This project will address challenges with adopting and using wearable assistive devices by stroke survivors for helping them with movement challenges.

View more details about these projects. Contact Tom Corfman at NIDILRR if you have questions about the RERC Program. 


To stay current on NIDILRR grant opportunities, please visit grants.gov and search: NIDILRR or 93.433.



NIDILRR, part of ACL, generates new knowledge and promotes its effective use so that people with disabilities can perform activities of their choice in the community. NIDILRR also works to expand society’s capacity to provide full opportunities and accommodations for people with disabilities.


Last modified on 10/27/2022


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