Perkins, Blake, PT, DPT, ATP

Through expansion and synthesis of complementary professional roles and lived experience, Blake Perkins holds career-long aspirations of optimizing the development and provision of established and emerging assistive technologies for people living with life-altering disabilities.

Blake Perkins is a Supervisor at University Hospitals, Ashland, Ohio. He lives with paraplegia due to a spinal cord injury (SCI) sustained in 2011 and has over a decade of experience as an end-user, clinician, lobbyist, and credentialed assistive technology professional in complex rehabilitation technology.

Mr. Perkins co-founded the MetroHealth Adaptive Life Technologies lab, promoting clinically-guided, peer-informed, and community-collaborative assistive technologies for individuals living with various life-altering disabilities.

Mr. Perkins’ research interests and responsibilities work in harmony with his clinical practice. He investigates the development and implementation of novel technologies and rehabilitation strategies to maximize function and independence for people living with SCI and other life-altering impairments.

RESEARCH PROGRAMS

• Rehabilitation Technology – Integrating computers, smartphones, and wearables for affordable home automation, environmental control, and mobility solutions
• Assistive Device Innovation – Designing and deploying devices such as TempMe (for temperature regulation), Snap and Go (for holding baby carriers), and Freedom Close (for automated door control)
• Community Integration – Connecting patients with adaptive technologies to reduce reliance on caregivers and state-funded programs, and supporting their return to work

MAJOR PROJECTS & FUNDING

• ALT Lab Technology Deployment: The ALT Lab, credentialed through Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities/Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (OOD/BVR), has provided assistive technologies to nearly 150 people, improving functional independence and workplace integration.
• Grant Collaborations: Dr. Perkins is part of a multi-institution grant with MetroHealth and Case Western Reserve University, focusing on lived experience in SCI research and technology development 
• Workplace Accessibility: Consulting with local employers to optimize workspaces for people with disabilities, including reviewing access points and designing efficient desk setups

HONORS & RECOGNITION

• ASCIP Innovation Lab Fabrication Award – “Snap and Go” Wheelchair Mount, 2024
• Craig H. Neilsen CO&I Grant Awardee – Adaptive Technology Provision in SCI, 2022
• ASIA Allied Health Professional Research Award – “Reversing the Trend”, 2022
• ASCIP Early Career Interdisciplinary Essay Winner, 2021