Research
AFR primarily conducts research in the fields of occupational therapy, orthotics, and biomechanics. The research is primarily coordinated through the research environment Studies on Integrated Health and Welfare (SIHW).
CHILD - Children, Health, Intervention, Learning, Development
Occupational therapy research within the CHILD research environment focuses on developing preventive measures regarding trauma that causes concussions in children and, together with researchers in orthotics, evaluating the outcomes of new treatment methods for children with balance and walking difficulties following cerebral palsy, such as training with the Nintendo Wii Fit video game.
Doctoral Education
Doctoral education in orthotics and occupational therapy is carried out within some of the research subjects included in the Research School of Health and Welfare.
Prosthetics and Orthotics
The focus of JU’s research in prosthetics and orthotics is to strengthen clinical education of prosthetist/orthotists, advance service delivery, and improve functional outcomes for individuals who use assistive technologies.
We recognize that prosthetic and orthotic devices influence not only physical function but also psychological well-being and social participation. To capture this complexity, our research employs both quantitative and qualitative methods, allowing us to build a holistic understanding of how people use their devices and interact with their environments.
Our work is supported by a well-equipped motion analysis laboratory, which includes:
- A 12-camera Qualisys 3D motion analysis system
- Five floor-mounted force plates (4 AMTI, 1 Kistler)
- A 16-channel Delsys wireless EMG system
- Tekscan pressure mapping technology
- Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) for cortical brain activity
- A NeuroCom Balance Master
- An IsoMed isokinetic dynamometer
- Digital scanning systems (Canfit and VXelement)
Out team currently consists of approximately 11 researchers and research-interested staff, as well as 3 doctoral students. We collaborate extensively with national and international partners — including companies, service providers, and end users — to ensure that our research is both scientifically rigorous and directly relevant in real-world contexts.
Current projects
- Supporting mental health of people with physical impairments in the Kingdom of Cambodia
- Optimising training for users of myoelectric prostheses
- Supporting Individual Prosthetic Design Preferences – Development and evaluation of an AI based patient decision aid
- Core concepts and principles used by O&P prosfessional in clinical practice
- Swedish Ukrainian Collegial Assistance for Rehabilitation Education (SU-CARE)
Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science
Our research focuses on occupations of daily life and their relation to people’s participation, health and well-being. This includes perspectives at the individual, group, and societal level.
Examples of research areas include:
- Everyday life and Place
- Health promotive interventions
- Instrument development
- Occupational balance
- Participation in society
- Technology use in daily life
- Working life
Our team currently consists of researchers and research-interested faculty, as well as doctoral students. We collaborate extensively with national and international partners in academia and beyond to ensure that the research is relevant in practice. These collaborations include local communities, various organizations, companies, and, above all, the individuals affected by the research.
Current projects
- A place for integrated care in nursing home settings - everyday life and care practices
- Development of the instrument Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ11) in various languages
- HEAT – Climate Game Changers - Gamification for the empowerment to adapt to climate change
- HEAT - Värmeböljors inverkan på äldre personers hälsa och välbefinnande: Erfarenheter och adaptiva strategier för utomhusaktiviteter i stadsmiljö
- Nursing homes as technological habitats – Digital technology supporting everyday citizenship, participation and dignity for nursing home residents
- Photo-supported conversations about well-being (BeWell ) as a treatment to promote health and well-being in stress-related illness
- Translating and testing the Danish version of OBQ11-DK
- Understanding the relationships connecting everyday life, care, and the physical environment in nursing homes – a new collaborative framework
- Utveckling av instrumentet Självskattad aktivitetsbalans (OBQ11) på olika språk.
- What is the right mix of activities in everyday life for young people (occupational balance) – and how can it be measured?
- Work life trajectories among entrepreneurs 70+.