I joined the Neurology Research Team (NRT) when I was 17 (1990). I offered by body and soul in exchange for knowledge. At this time, Jeff Sale, Dave Warner, and Steve Price saved me from the clutches of nationalism on one hand (with my military tendencies) and liberal boredom on the other ,which would be the mark of an unsupplemented college education. I was able to expand my mind with all the piles of data I was told to organize at NRT. When NRT disassembled, I became the first member (next to the founder Dave Warner) of I3. I also held a job under Jeff, and Jody (old NRT members) and was part of continual interface between the groups.
I began immediatly after the first Biomuse applications were tested by NRT I started learning how to deal with the Biomuse right off. While at I3, I did most of the direct patient interaction with the Biomuse and BEC (the predisessor to NEAT)I also used these tools under the direction of Dr. Robert Iacono in research on Parkinson's. I was Dave's Lab slave for numerous "dave shows" and worked Siggraphs and others. While working under the SAMARITAN project I logged well over 2000 hours of volunteer work and acted to direct new volunteers as they came in. I built many a somatosensory environment. Though I'm not , sure I think I have the record for the most consistent output codes from four channels of muscle: 25 used to control the pneumatic chair for siggraph 94.
After working with Dave et al. in CA for 5 years, I went to MN to export Dave's ideas and technology as well as to facilitate connections with MedVision and Alina Healthcare to I3. I am now in Greenville, NC helping to bring I3 to the natives and adding support to the connection between I3 and CHSC the telemed people.
And through all this I graduated High School and have worked towards my four year degree at various institutions. If all goes well I will graduate next year with a BS in applied Physics and a minor in Anthropology, as well as a strong emphasis (maybe minor) in Chem. This stepping stone however will not help me nearly as much as the intensive training, information, and experience given to me by Dave Warner and the Institute for Interventional Informatics, who I will continue to work with serving in whatever manner possible as I go foreward in my medical carreer.
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To many many many more hours of VOLUNTEER work Patrick!
We could not have been doing it without you.
As of Fall 2000, Patrick is living with his wife Emily in Greenville,
North Carolina. Together, they are working with CRNR, and CHSC at ECU to
improve quality of life through the ideas of I3.