The doctor is a US Army veteran and Paralympic medallist, winning bronze in a wheelchair racing relay at the Seoul 1988 Games.

He was the founding director of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories, while Cooper currently works at the University of Pittsburgh in the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

“I am honoured and excited to be a keynote speaker,” said Cooper, who was a keynote speaker at last year’s International Convention on Science, Education and Medicine in Sport .

“VISTA is an important and highly regarded conference bring people together from around the world.

“A theme of my talk will be Paralympic sport 2020 to 2040.

“There are advances in manufacturing, robotics, and cybernetics that are making an impact at increasing rate.

“The changes will impact the Paralympic Movement, and it is best that people are informed and engaged.”

The theme of this year’s VISTA conference is “Opportunities, Challenges in Paralympic Sport Science & Sport Medicine Support”.

The conference is scheduled to take place between September 20 and 23.

Cooper, a recipient of the Paralympic Scientific Award in 2013, will join Canadian Professor Laura Misener and Dr Cheri Blauwet, who were also announced as a VISTA keynote speaker.

He expressed a hope that his talk, which will delve into advances in technology impacting sport and fitness, will provoke discussion on how technology can boost inclusion.

“I hope that listeners will take away the critical role that technology plays in adaptive sports and recreation, and how technological advances pose both opportunities and challenges,” said Cooper, whose work on advancing equipment used in wheelchair racing, handcycling, wheelchair tennis and seated throwing events has appeared in over 270 scientific publications.

“I also hope to spur discussion about how technology and sport promote inclusion.”

The VISTA conference is a biennial event International Paralympic Committee (IPC) event, which is being hosted by the Canadian Paralympic Committee and the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario.

It is hoped the event, first held in 1993, will provide a platform for sport scientists and researchers to meet with experts in the field of sport for athletes with impairments.

The event will take place at the Chelsea Hotel and the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario.

Around 300 of the world’s leading sports scientists, sport medicine practitioners, classifiers, coaches, athletes and sport administrators are expected to attend.