Lehigh University’s new Center for Community-Driven Assistive Technologies (CDAT) aims to positively impact the lives of people with disabilities and older adults by creating and evaluating novel assistive technologies employed across a lifespan. The center aims to transform the lives of people with physical, cognitive, behavioral/emotional, sensory and developmental disabilities through interdisciplinary research and cutting-edge emerging and existing assistive technologies.

The research team brings together expertise from health, education, computer science, bioengineering, economics, architecture, mechanical engineering, psychology, biostatistics and data analysis, with an emphasis on community engagement. Research will focus on life transitions, mobility enhancement, everyday activities, and access to living, working and learning spaces, potentially expanding opportunities in education, employment and health.

With a unique holistic approach that begins by engaging those community members who are most affected, and emphasizes collaboration with service providers to guide translational innovation, researchers will develop impactful solutions tailored to real-world needs. Partnering with an array of stakeholders, the center aspires to be a national leader in advancing independence, accessibility and quality of life for people with disabilities.

Led by Vinod Namboodiri, Forlenza Chair of Health Innovation and Technology and professor of computer science and engineering and George DuPaul, professor of school psychology, the center was developed through collaboration among faculty from Lehigh’s College of Health, College of Education and P.C. Rossin College of Engineering & Applied Science. Other faculty and students from across all colleges of the university will have opportunities to engage in the important work of the center.

“Advancements in medical care have resulted in people living longer lives, which means more people are reaching ages where disability becomes more prevalent,” Namboodiri said. “Assistive technologies are crucial because they can help bridge the gap for individuals with disabilities or impairments, allowing them to live a more independent or interdependent life that is fulfilling. These technologies make tasks that might otherwise be difficult or impossible, more manageable.”

DuPaul said that the challenges faced by individuals living with disabilities affect their educational attainment, social relationships, employment, physical and mental health and independent living.

“The mission of CDAT is to conduct research in partnership with community stakeholders, including people with disabilities and their families, that will design, evaluate and disseminate novel assistive technologies to improve independent living and quality of life for people with disabilities from early childhood through all stages of adulthood,” DuPaul said.

Community-based real-world applications

When discussing potential real-world applications that could result from research conducted through CDAT, DuPaul mentioned an app with the capability to cue individuals to consistently employ organizational skills and planning strategies. He also pointed to the development of wearable technologies that are programmed to sense when individuals are experiencing stress, which prompts them to use learned stress reduction techniques.

Namboodiri cited technology to assist with aging-in-place and independent living and learning, such as solutions to improve safety, medication adherence and assistance with activities of daily living. Data from those systems could be utilized to monitor and enhance health and well-being, he said.

Although the outcomes may evolve, CDAT’s goal will remain steady: to conduct research that has the potential to positively impact the lives of individuals living with disabilities through new and innovative approaches. 

“Ultimately, our work needs to directly and effectively address real-world challenges faced by children and adults with disabilities such that they can optimize independent living and quality of life,” DuPaul said.

Announced in February 2025, CDAT joins two other University Research Centers (URCs) at Lehigh, including the Center for Advancing Community Electrification Solutions, announced at the same time, and the Center for Catastrophe Modeling and Resilience, launched in February 2024.

“Each of these URCs addresses critical needs in society,” said Nathan Urban, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “CDAT’s work is critical to enhancing opportunity for people with disabilities. It also seeks to address the increasing demands for a skilled and talented workforce through research to determine how technology can allow people with disabilities to thrive in a broader range of jobs and roles. I look forward to seeing the groundbreaking research that these centers will foster and the impact they will have.”

The new University Research Centers align with the priorities outlined in the Lehigh Strategy, Inspiring the Future Makers. One of the strategy’s initiatives is investing significantly in interdisciplinary research, acknowledging that critical problems require a holistic approach.

“The goal of establishing these URCs is to identify areas where, through strategic investment and careful planning, Lehigh can lead research nationally and internationally,” Urban said. “We are already seeing great momentum from the URC in Catastrophe Modeling, which is leading to enhanced visibility and philanthropic support. I am hopeful that these new URCs will develop in similar ways.”

In February 2025, Lehigh was named an R1 research university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Universities with this designation conduct the highest level of research activity within the Carnegie Classification.

Read more:

Lehigh’s First University Research Center to Focus on Catastrophe Modeling

Lehigh University Announces Two New Research Centers to Address Community Health, Energy Systems

For media inquiries regarding the center, research or expertise, contact inmedia@lehigh.edu.