Assistant Professor Dr. Liu-Ambrose & Associate Professor Handy have been collaborating since 2006 to conduct novel research studies in cognition and falls. An established collaboration with Professor Art Kramer from the University of Illinois and the Beckman Institute Human Perception and Performance research group - would further facilitate their current research program. Dr. Kramer is a well-recognized international expert in the areas of cognition and aging and cognition and exercise (www.beckman.uiuc.edu/directory/a-kramer).
Funds from the VCHRI Global Collaboration Grant will provide Drs. Liu-Ambrose and Handy the opportunity to visit Dr. Kramer in Illinois in November 2008 to critically assess and gain first-hand experience using the six-sided CUBE - a state of the art virtual reality (VR) system. The Cube is a fully immersive, stereo-capable (i.e., true 3-D) visualization chamber manufactured. The CUBE would allow Drs. Liu-Ambrose and Handy to further explore differences in visual spatial attention between fallers and non-fallers in "real-life" situations.
