Identification and networking of assistive technology-related transfer resources through the consumer assistive technology transfer network (CATN)

This articles explains the background and unique capabilities of the Consumer Assistive Technology Transfer Network (CATN). CATN assists consumers, developers, researchers and/or engineers, nationally and internationally, with assistive technology resources in the US. These resources involve 56 state/territorial assistive technology programs, 16 rehabilitation engineering research centers, and over 600 research and development federal laboratories. The purpose of the CATN is for consumers to identify devices and applications regarding difficult to solve assistive technology problems as well as to develop and commercialize inventions. The CATN is also for developers, researchers and/or engineers to try out assistive technology-related research and development of devices/applications with consumers for relevance to commercialization and manufacturing. The following areas will be discussed in this article: background and overview of the CATN resource network; internet accessibility; how to define the AT solution or application in a request; development of resource mapping to identify and filter applicable AT resources for requests from consumers to the centers/labs, and from labs/centers to consumers; disability and partnership considerations in mediating application requests with technology transfer; and implications of the CATN for SBIR programs, partnerships, product development and commercialization.