David Hobbs

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Fulbright Professional Scholar

Media Profile

“Given that cerebral palsy prevalence is not decreasing, despite modern medicine and improved health technology, and that there is no pre-birth test for the condition, developing systems and techniques to improve functionality for children who have CP is an important area of research and clinical practice.”

David Hobbs, a Senior Rehabilitation Engineer with Novita Children’s Services Inc. in Adelaide, has won a 2008 Fulbright Professional Scholarship to undertake research into the field of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) and cerebral palsy. David will spend one month at the Cleveland FES Center and two months at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia from August 2008. David is a graduate from Flinder’s University with a Bachelor of Science (Life Sciences)/Bachelor of Engineering (Biomedical) (Honours).

The aim of David’s Fulbright Scholarship will be to develop and evaluate an effective protocol for delivering optimal Functional Electrical Therapy (FET) for children with cerebral palsy (CP).

“CP is a broad term that describes a group of neurological developmental disorders that affects the central nervous system. It is a life-long condition that affects the communication between the brain and the muscles, causing a permanent state of uncoordinated movement and posturing. Worldwide, the incidence of the condition is the same – approximately 1 in 400 births,” explains David.

David aims to research, through hands-on experience and consultation with experts, the protocols and mechanisms for using FES as part of a broader therapeutic program for children with CP to improve their functioning and quality of life.

“The aim of this research is to gain first-hand experience and training in how leading U.S. researchers and clinicians are using FES with children with CP to improve their functioning. In contrast, the FES community in Australia is significantly smaller and there is insufficient research or funding to drive knowledge and practice,” said David.

David hopes his Fulbright Scholarship will develop long-term linkages and potential project collaboration between Australia and the U.S. One such collaboration will occur when he presents at the biennial Australian Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Association (ARATA) conference and distributes a report on his Fulbright Scholarship to delegates.

David’s work in this area has been recognised with the following achievements: a Churchill Fellowship in the field of Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology (2002); Engineers Australia’s Young Professional Engineer of the Year Award (2004); named as one of Engineers Australia's Top 100 Most Influential Engineers and appointed as an Ambassador for Young Engineers in Australia (2005); and ABC Australian Academy of Science Media Fellowship (2005).