Research and clinical developments that matter to the disability community — summarised in plain language, always linked to the original study or report.
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AI chatbots consistently show bias against people with intellectual disabilities, study finds
A Special Olympics and Oregon State University study finds five leading AI chatbots consistently portray people with intellectual disabilities as dependent and childlike.
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Motor-free soft exosuit cuts the effort of walking by nearly 14 percent
A new wearable exosuit uses artificial-muscle fibres instead of motors to reduce the energy cost of walking, in early tests with six adults.
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Brain implant lets user control a computer by thought, without penetrating the brain
Precision Neuroscience says an able-bodied volunteer controlled a cursor, played games and used a smartphone by thought, using a brain-computer interface that sits on the brain’s surface rather than piercing it.
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Study finds disability inequity in Australia has barely changed in 23 years
A 23-year Flinders University study finds inequity for young Australians with disability has barely improved since 2001.
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Gene therapy trial shows lasting hearing restoration for inherited deafness
A gene therapy trial restored hearing in 90% of participants with a rare inherited form of deafness, with results lasting up to 2.5 years.
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Single drug dose briefly reverses autism-like brain changes in mice, UCLA study finds
A UCLA Health study found a single dose of the drug rapamycin temporarily reversed autism-like brain changes in adult mice.
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Retinal implant that restores central vision launches commercially in Europe
Science Corporation’s PRIMA implant, shown to restore reading vision in trials, has launched commercially across Europe for patients with geographic atrophy.
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Brain implant restores lasting feeling and movement in a man’s paralysed hand
A ‘double neural bypass’ combining brain implants, AI and spinal stimulation let a man with complete paralysis regain lasting feeling and movement in his hand.
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Study finds far more college students have autism than previously estimated
New research estimates up to 286,000 US college students are on the autism spectrum, far above earlier estimates of about 60,000.
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