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PRISM Lab - Mission & Vision

Boy in wheelchair with a special keyboard.

About the prism lab

The prism (Paediatric Rehabilitation Intelligent Systems Multidisciplinary) lab is a multidisciplinary group of individuals focused on maximizing possibilities for children and youth with disabilities and special needs, along with their families, through excellence in applied science and engineering.


The prism lab was founded in 2004 through the generous support of the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Innovation Trust, the Canada Research Chairs Program, the Bloorview Research Institute and various philantrophic donations. Located within the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, the largest paediatric rehabilitation hospital in Canada, the prism lab is also an accademic health science centre fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. The prism lab is affiliated with the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Toronto.


The prism lab serves as a unique, clinically oriented training ground for an interprofessional mix of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows interested in intelligent system theory, hardware, software, materials and analytical methods within a paediatric rehabilitation context. The lab works closely alongside numerous health and allied health professionals and scientists, including physicians, dentists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, social workers, child life specialists, speech language pathologists, educators and nurses, throughout all stages of research, from problem formulation to grant application, from data collection to journal publication.

Our mission

To discover and evaluate innovative technological solutions that provide children with severe disabilities and their families new opportunities to interact with the world around them.

Our vision

To be an international leader in rehabilitation engineering for children with disabilities.

To achieve this mission and vision, the prism lab aims to:

  • Conduct rigorous applied science and engineering research and publish in respected and leading journals
  • Train students and post-doctoral fellows to be outstanding scientists
  • Foster interdisciplinary collaboration among front-line clinicians and engineering scientists
  • Generate interest and awareness in childhood disability issues and the potential of innovative technologies
  • Advocate for rights and opportunities for children and youth with disabilities and their families