CreateAbility’s Evidence-based Technology Solutions
Stephen Sutter, President and founder of CreateAbility, has become a prominent figure in the disability research field, particularly within the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Mr. Sutter was recently designated as the top researcher in Phase I and II categories.
The SBIR program, funded by NIDILRR, focuses on addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities through research and development projects that create products that increase and/or enhance independence, positive outcomes and level of care provided to them.
Mr. Sutter and CreateAbility have excelled in all three phases of the SBIR program:
- Phase I: This phase determines the scientific or technical merit and feasibility of the proposed research.
- Phase II: This phase expands on the results of Phase I and further develops the project.
- Phase III: This phase involves using non-SBIR capital to commercialize the research, of which, CreateAbility has recorded the highest number of commercialized technology solutions. Success in this category was achieved with the help of the Indiana 21st Century Fund and Applied Research Institute.
This process results in “evidence-based” enabling technology solutions and services that are the result of a rigorous development process involving research, testing, and validation with real users in real-world environments. “Individuals with cognitive or intellectual disabilities, along with their supporters, are engaged throughout the research and development process.” Sutter states. “Instead of isolating data analysis, we continuously test new features with our target customers, ensuring the solutions are both practical and effective.”
For more information on NIDILRR’s funding priorities, you can read about NIDILRR’s Core Areas of Research in the Long Range Plan here.
