# Research Career Scientist

> **NIH VA IK6** · VA EASTERN COLORADO HEALTH CARE SYSTEM · 2023 · —

## Abstract

The over-arching goal of the Nominee’s, Richard F. ff. Weir, PhD, research is to improve the quality-of-life
of veterans and individuals with limb loss. Upper-limb prosthetics research is an area of particular interest and
relevance to VA. The Nominee and his team at the laboratory, the VA/CU Biomechatronics Development
Laboratory, seek to improve the prosthetic options available to veterans with limb loss through the application of
novel approaches and innovative technology to the development of clinically relevant prosthetic systems and
solutions. The Nominee has been in the field of Prosthesis design and Rehabilitation Research in one form or
another (Student, Post-doc, Scientist, Mentor) for over 25 years and has maintained extramural funding and
developed a large network of collaborators in that time. The Nominee holds joint appointments at both VA as a
Research Career Scientist and UC Denver|Anschtuz Medical Center in the Bioengineering Department. The
Nominee currently mentors 1 CDA2 Candidate, 4 PhD candidates and 4 MS candidates and has mentored
another 2 CDA Candidates, 8 PhD candidates and 22 MS candidates. The Nominee has aided and supported
trainees in identifying and transitioning into translational careers.
 While it is a personal goal of the Nominee to be able to develop an artificial hand replacement capable of
true dexterous manipulation for use by persons with upper-limb loss the Nominee and his team explore all
aspects of the problem ranging from neural control and sensing; mechatronic design and development; novel
actuator technologies; novel physical suspension/interface techniques; clinical deployment of these systems;
methods to manage phantom limb pain; conducting clinical testing of the systems developed. The Nominee has
had numerous contracts and grants to develop advanced limb systems for several different Federal agencies
including VA, NIH, and DARPA. Over that time, in addition to being a VA Researcher and academic researcher,
the Nominee completed the training required to become a clinical prosthetist, was National Director of Research
for Advanced Arm Dynamics (AAD) for 2 years, (AAD is a national provider of upper-limb prosthetics care) and
most recently founded Point Designs, LLC, as a conduit for translation of his Laboratory’s developments.
 It is these clinical experiences that inform the Nominee’s belief he should explore and provide practical
solutions for immediately pressing clinical problems while also exploring ideas that push the envelope of current
technology. The Nominee’s VA projects aim to address issues of more immediate clinical relevance like our
project to develop artificial fingers suitable for women veterans [2I01RX002830(Weir)] while at the same time-
exploring via a VA SPiRE [IK21RX003471(Weir)] using blood sugar as a fuel for a novel implanted fuel cell.
Much of the Nominee’s non-VA research is centered around using optics to interrogate nerves. True dexterous
manipulation needs sensory fee...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10754193
- **Project number:** 2IK6RX002996-06
- **Recipient organization:** VA EASTERN COLORADO HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
- **Principal Investigator:** Richard Fergus ffrench Weir
- **Activity code:** IK6 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2018-07-01 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10754193

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10754193, Research Career Scientist (2IK6RX002996-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10754193. Licensed CC0.

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