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Background: Researchers have highlighted a large-scale global unmet need for rehabilitation. While sex and gender have been shown to interact with each other and with other social and structural factors to influence health and wellbeing, less is known about how sex and gender shape rehabilitation participation and outcomes within health systems., Methods: Using an intersectional approach, we examine literature that explores the relationship between sex and/or gender and rehabilitation access, use, adherence, outcomes, and caregiving. Following a comprehensive search, 65 documents met the inclusion criteria for this scoping review of published literature. Articles were coded for rehabilitation-related themes and categorized by type of rehabilitation, setting, and age of participants, to explore how existing literature aligned with documented global rehabilitation needs. Responding to a common conflation of sex and gender in the existing literature and a frequent misrepresentation of sex and gender as binary, the researchers also developed a schema to determine whether existing literature accurately represented sex and gender., Results: The literature generally described worse rehabilitation access, use, adherence, and outcomes and a higher caregiving burden for conditions with rehabilitation needs among women than men. It also highlighted the interacting effects of social and structural factors like socioeconomic status, racial or ethnic identity, lack of referral, and inadequate insurance on rehabilitation participation and outcomes. However, existing literature on gender and rehabilitation has focused disproportionately on a few types of rehabilitation among adults in high-income country contexts and does not correspond with global geographic or condition-based rehabilitation needs. Furthermore, no articles were determined to have provided an apt depiction of sex and gender., Conclusion: This review highlights a gap in global knowledge about the relationship between sex and/or gender and rehabilitation participation and outcomes within health systems. Future research should rely on social science and intersectional approaches to elucidate how gender and other social norms, roles, and structures influence a gender disparity in rehabilitation participation and outcomes. Health systems should prioritize person-centered, gender-responsive care, which involves delivering services that are responsive to the complex social norms, roles, and structures that intersect to shape gender inequitable rehabilitation participation and outcomes in diverse contexts., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Affective computing seeks to create computational systems that adapt content and resources according to the affective states of the users. However, the detection of the user's affection such as motivation and emotion is challenging especially when an attention problem is present. An approach to convey learning resources to children with learning problems is by means of game-based tools. The first step towards building these ludic experiences is to identify the skills and limitations of potential users. In this work we describe a case based study carried out to observe and get understanding of the level of attention, cognition and memory of children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Fifteen children were invited to play physical and digital versions of the Stroop and Flanker tests as well as memory-based games. The interaction with KAPEAN is allowed with both a mouse and a hand gestures recognition device. To collect data from the user's experiences the system integrates a webcam, a Microsoft Kinect device, a video camera, and an Emotiv EEG headset. Data was analyzed offline in order to study which affective states are present while children with ADHD played with KAPEAN.

Earlier indentification has increased the number of infants identified with hearing loss. A significant and growing proportion of children who are D/deaf or hard of hearing have a disability (DWD). Literature related to infants and toddlers who are DWD is scarce because of the heterogeneity of the population and because many disabilities may go undiagnosed until a child is older. Service availability, professional preparation, and use of evidence-based practices must improve to best meet the needs of these children and their families. An examination of theory, research, and practice in early intervention for children who are DWD revealed a lack of qualified professionals and a need for targeted instruction in teacher preparation programs and for technological advances paired with treatment (e.g., telepractice). Increased transdisciplinary collaboration and technology utilization in teacher preparation hold promise as ways of improving service provision to young children who are DWD.

Educational technology applications and lessons, such as learning modules, activities, and user-authored systems, face substantial implementation challenges in public schools and post-secondary institutions. The design of technology impacts the willingness of teachers to implement new technology; evaluators examining implementation obstacles can help improve design. In this article, both summative and formative implementation evaluation are discussed in non-technology contexts and compared with current practices with educational technology. Formative evaluation has traditionally focused on making applications and lessons "work"; however, many implementation problems are caused by non-technical/interface concerns and related to the compatibility of the technology with its surroundings. An overview of research on implementation of applications and lessons is provided and linked to a model of formative evaluation for implementation in this area. Technical, curricular/instructional, and practical areas of implementation are examined. Common implementation problems and typical design recommendations are presented. The use of the model is discussed in other areas, such as medicine and assistive technology.

Introduction: Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease commonly experience both physical and psychological effects, which subsequently affect their ability to perform daily activities and overall wellbeing. MusicGlove is an emerging adjunct proposed to address the motor issues but also the psychological ones with references to improving motivation and participation in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease. Aim: To determine the effectiveness of the MusicGlove on hand dexterity and the psychological response in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental study was performed on 40 individuals with Parkinson disease January 2021 to June 2021 from local community settings in Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu, India. They were recruited and divided into a control group (n=20) and experimental group (n=20). Hand dexterity and psychological responses were assessed using the Box and Block Test (BBT), Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI), and Apathy Inventory (AI) as pre and post-test measures. Both groups received conventional occupational therapy for three weeks in total, and in addition to this, the experimental group received the MusicGlove. The control group included muscle stretching and strengthening activities with therapeutic putty and using activities such as connecting circles where the subject is given a sheet of paper with 25 circles, each containing 25 numbers or letters. They were asked to connect these in ascending, alternating numerical, and alphabetical order. Sessions were conducted for 30 minutes with two sets of repetitions. Descriptive statistics were used to examine data using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0. Results: The study results revealed that there was no statistically significant difference found between the groups but clinically significant differences were found between the groups with post-test scores on motor symptoms that were measured by BBT: μ=-1.2534, p=0.211 (BBT Dominant); μ=-0.9400, p-value=0.3472 (BBT Non Dominant), and psychological symptoms that were measured by BDI; (μ=-1.0445, p-value=0.2983) and AI; (μ=-1.0445, p-value=0.9203). Conclusion: The study concluded that conventional occupational therapy along with MusicGlove was effective in improving hand dexterity and psychological responses in Parkinson’s disease patients. Also, further study needs to be conducted to warrant its long-term impact of intervention on hand dexterity and psychological responses.

Over the years, there has been an increase in the development of assistive technologies. To date, the stages of dementia that these technologies can be best implemented has been underexplored. In previous work, researchers developed an infographic providing guidance on when best to introduce assistive technologies for people with dementia, and although this infographic is relevant, it was based solely on the experience of the authors during various national and international projects. However, various studies have been conducted on the use and implementation of technology for people with dementia, providing information on when care technology should be implemented. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to conduct a literature review, and based on the results, to design an infographic showing recommendations on when to implement an assistive technology. The infographic was evaluated during interviews with experts on the implementation of care technology for people with dementia. Our results propose earlier implementation for several technologies, as well as the importance of considering contextual factors such as personal characteristics, background and technical experience when implementing technology. The designed infographic can facilitate the digital transition for healthcare institutions and personnel by offering information into the implementation process of care technology.

IntroductionWith a decreasing workforce of carers and a transition from care homes to home care, people with dementia (PwD) increasingly rely on informal caregivers (ICs) and assistive technologies (ATs). There is growing evidence that ATs in the home environment can reduce workload for formal carers (FCs) and ICs, reduce care costs, and can have a positive influence on quality of life (QoL) for PwD and their caregivers. In practice, using multiple ATs still often implies using different separate point solutions and applications. However, the integral, combined use of the data generated using various applications can potentially enhance the insight into the health and wellbeing status of PwD and can provide decision support for carers. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the use of a DSS that integrated multiple ATs into one dashboard through a small-scale field study.MethodsThe current study presents the formative evaluation of a Decision Support System (DSS) connected to multiple ATs. This DSS has been developed by means of co-creation during an international project. The DSS provides an insight into the physical and cognitive status of a PwD, as well as an insight into sleep activity and general wellbeing. Semi-structured interview sessions were held in three countries (Netherlands, Italy, and Taiwan) with 41 participants to gain insight into the experiences of formal and informal carers and PwD with both the ATs and the DSS Alpha prototype dashboard.ResultsThe results showed that participants using the DSS were satisfied and perceived added value and a fit with certain care demands from the PwD. In general, ICs and FCs have limited insight into the status of PwD living independently at home, and in these moments, the DSS dashboard and AT bundle can provide valuable insights. Participants experienced the DSS dashboard as well-organized and easy to navigate. The accuracy of the data displayed in the dashboard is important, the context, and (perceived) privacy issues should be tackled according to all users. Furthermore, based in the insight gained during the evaluation a set of design improvements was composed which can be used to further improve the DSS for the Beta evaluation.Discussion and conclusionThe current paper evaluates a possible solution for excess AT usage and how the use of a DSS which integrated multiple AT into one single technology could support caregivers in providing care for PwD. The formative evaluation scrutinized the integration of the developed DSS and the composed bundle of ATs across diverse cultural contexts. Insights from multi-center observations shed light on user experiences, encompassing overall usability, navigational efficacy, and attitudes toward the system. FCs and ICs expressed positivity toward the DSS dashboard's design and functionalities, highlighting its utility in remote monitoring, tracking changes in the person's abilities, and managing urgent situations. There is a need for personalized solutions and the findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of DSS and AT integration, providing insights for future developments and research in the field of DSS for the care of PwD.

Abstract Background The aging population has caused assistive technology (AT) to receive attention. Thus, ensuring accurate user comprehension of AT has become increasingly crucial, and more specialized education for students in relevant fields is necessary. The goal of this study was to explore the learning outcomes in the context of AT for older adults and individuals with disabilities through the use of VR experiential learning. Methods A parallel-group design was used. Sixty third-year university students studying gerontology and long-term-care-related subjects in Taiwan were enrolled, with the experimental (VR) and control (two-dimensional [2D] video) groups each comprising 30 participants. Both groups received the same 15-minute lecture. Subsequently, the experimental group received experiential learning through a VR intervention, whereas the control group watched a 2D video to learn. The students’ knowledge of AT was assessed using a pretest and posttest. Additionally, their skills in evaluation of residential environments were assessed using the Residential Environment Assessment (REA) Form for Older Adults. All data analyses were performed with SPSS version 22. Results In the posttest conducted after the intervention, the experimental group exhibited a significant 20.67 point improvement (p

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the applicability of assistive technology in the education and treatment of children with autism spectrum disorders, which was done in a systematic review. Materials and Methods: By searching keywords such as autism spectrum disorder, treatment, education, and assistive technology in foreign databases, including Science Direct, Sage Pop, Eric's Information Base, Wiley Online Library, Springer, National Center for Biotechnology Information (PubMed), ProQuest Global Information Center, all articles between 2010 and 2021 were reviewed. A total of 280 English-language articles with the mentioned keywords were found. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 12 articles were fully and carefully examined. Results: The results of these studies show that assistive technology is effective in the education and treatment of children with autism and can be used as an aid in the education and treatment of these children. Conclusion: Therefore, it is suggested that new technologies be used as an educational aid in therapeutic and educational settings for the autism spectrum.

Bicycles are more difficult to control at low speeds due to the vehicle’s unstable low-speed dynamics. This issue might be exacerbated by factors such as aging, disturbances, and multi-tasking. To address this issue, we developed a prototype ‘balance assist system’ with Royal Dutch Gazelle and Bosch eBike Systems at Delft University of Technology, which includes an electric motor capable of providing additional steering torque. We implemented a speed-adaptive feedback controller to generate the additional steering torque to that of the rider. We conducted a study with 18 older and 14 younger cyclists to first examine the effect of aging, disturbances, and multi-tasking on cycling at lower forward speeds, and evaluate the effectiveness of the system in improving the stability of the rider-bicycle system while facing these challenges. The study consisted of two scenarios: a single-task scenario where participants rode the bicycle on a marked narrow straight-line track, and a multi-task scenario where participants performed a shoulder check task and followed visual cues while tracking the straight-line. We introduced handlebar disturbances using the steer motor in half of the trials in both scenarios. All trials were repeated with and without the balance assist system. We calculated the bicycle mean magnitude of roll and steering rate—as indicators of bicycle balance control and required steering actions, respectively—and the rider’s mean magnitude of lean rate with respect to the ground to investigate the effect of the balance assist system on rider’s lateral motion. Our results showed that aging, disturbances, and multi-tasking increased the roll rate, and the balance assist system was able to significantly reduce it. The effect size of the balance assist system in reducing the roll rate across all conditions was found to be larger in older cyclists, indicating a more substantial impact compared to younger cyclists. Disturbances and multi-tasking increased the steering rate, which was successfully reduced by the balance assist system. Aging did not significantly affect the steering rate. The rider’s lean rate was not significantly affected by age, disturbances, or the balance assist, indicating that the upper body plays a minor role when riders have good steering control authority. Overall, our findings suggest that lateral motion and required steering action can be affected by age, multi-tasking, and handlebar disturbances which can endanger cyclists’ safety, and the balance assist system has the potential to improve cycling safety and reduce the incidence of single-actor crashes. Further investigation on riders’ contribution to control actions is required.

BackgroundThere is a growing interest to support home-based dementia care via contactless monitoring (CM) technologies which do not require any body contact, and allow informal caregivers to remotely monitor the health and safety of people with dementia (PwD). However, sustainable implementation of CM technologies requires a better understanding of informal caregivers' acceptance. This study aimed to examine the (1) general acceptance of CM technology for home-based dementia care, (2) acceptance of different sensor types and use scenarios, and (3) differences between accepters and refusers of CM technology.MethodA cross-sectional online survey was conducted among n = 304 informal caregivers of community-dwelling PwD [Mean(SD) age = 58.5 (10.7)] in the Netherlands and Germany. The survey contained a textual and graphical introduction to CM technologies, as well as questions targeting (1) general acceptance of CM technology, (2) acceptance of seven different contactless sensor types, (3) acceptance of five different use scenarios, and (4) caregivers' own and their care recipients' personal characteristics. Data were examined using descriptive and bivariate analyses.ResultsParticipants' general acceptance of CM technology was slightly positive. We found significant differences in acceptability between contactless sensor types (p

Assistive technology is a subset of health technology. The resolution on improving access to assistive technology adopted by the 71st World Health Assembly illustrates that it is extremely important to integrate assistive technologies into healthcare system, which will help to achieve the sustainable development goal including universal health coverage. During this article, we introduce the history of the development of assistive technology, expounds that assistive technology plays an increasingly important role in health protection/care, rehabilitation treatment/training, functional compensation, environmental health and other health fields, And then we put forward suggestions on strengthening the understanding of assistive technology, improving relevant policies and systems, strengthening the construction of assistive technology service system, promoting R & D and production development, and building professional technical teams, so as to better achieve universal health coverage.

Resumen: Los trastornos del neurodesarrollo presentan una gran diversidad entre ellos, pudiendo generar dificultades funcionales o alguna discapacidad que requiera de asistencia tecnológica. Hoy, sin embargo, solo 1 de cada 10 personas que la necesitan, acceden a ella. Estas tecnologías de apoyo se definen como cualquier producto, equipo, software, o tecnología adaptada o especialmente diseñada, para mantener o incrementar las capacidades funcionales de niños, niñas y adolescentes en situación de discapacidad, convirtiéndose en un facilitador para la participación en actividades cotidianas en contexto educativo, de juego, y familiar. Lo anterior, permite generar oportunidades en la mejora en las habilidades de procesamiento, de comunicación y de interacción, siendo en la actualidad las tecnologías herramientas fundamentales en los procesos de inclusión. Existen diferentes tipos de tecnologías de apoyo, dependiendo de su naturaleza, nivel tecnológico y lógicas de operación. Este artículo comenta una gama de tecnologías utilizables en la clínica, como lo son las tecnologías de la información, sistemas de comunicación alternativas aumentativas, dispositivos tecnológicos de música, realidad virtual, juegos serios, relojes inteligentes, tableros electrónicos y Kinect, todos con evidencia científica de su efectividad en personas con trastornos del neurodesarrollo. Abstract: Neurodevelopmental disorders have a great diversity among them, generating functional difficulties and disabilities which may require tecnological assistance. Currently, however, only 1 out of 10 people who need this assistance, have access to it. These assistive technologies are defined as any product, equipment, software, or technology adapted or specially designed to maintain or increase the functional capabilities of children and adolescents with disabilities, becoming a facilitator for participation in daily activities in educational, play, and family contexts. This generates opportunities for the improvement of processing, communication, and interaction skills, making these tecnologies nowadays, fundamental tools in inclusion processes. Different types of assistive technologies are available, depending on their nature, technological level, and operation logic. This article comments a range of technologies that can be used in the clinic, such as information technologies, augmentative alternative communication systems, music technology devices, virtual reality, serious games, smart watches, electronic boards and Kinect, which have scientific evidence of their effectiveness in people with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Speaking is a sensorimotor behavior whose neural basis is difficult to study with single neuron resolution due to the scarcity of human intracortical measurements. We used electrode arrays to record from the motor cortex 'hand knob' in two people with tetraplegia, an area not previously implicated in speech. Neurons modulated during speaking and during non-speaking movements of the tongue, lips, and jaw. This challenges whether the conventional model of a 'motor homunculus' division by major body regions extends to the single-neuron scale. Spoken words and syllables could be decoded from single trials, demonstrating the potential of intracortical recordings for brain-computer interfaces to restore speech. Two neural population dynamics features previously reported for arm movements were also present during speaking: a component that was mostly invariant across initiating different words, followed by rotatory dynamics during speaking. This suggests that common neural dynamical motifs may underlie movement of arm and speech articulators.

Plain Language Summary Assistive technology is used to provide older adults with the opportunity to preserve their quality of life and their ability to cope in everyday life live independently longer and enhance participation in everyday life. This commentary describes dialogue cafés as a method for involving residents in an assisted living facility in discussions about assistive technology. It elaborates on how dialogue cafés are useful for directing research and development and for engaging older adults in assistive technology discussions. Six dialogue cafés were held between 2016 and 2019 with residents (aged between 65 to 92) as participants in an assisted living facility in Norway. Reports that were written after each café by the group leaders and rapporteurs provide the material for the analyses in this paper. The study demonstrated that the engagement process was found to be positive by the participants in the dialogue café groups. It also succeeded in directing the research and technology development in the project. The dialogue cafés seemed to demonstrate a two-way learning process for the researchers and the participants.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes movement and behavioral problems. Pharmacological advancements for preventing disease progression have limited success for many PD patients; therefore, supportive care is necessary. The advancement of the digital world and the revolution of computerized applications pave the way for a better understanding of PD and inventing technological apparatus for helping PD patients to provide them a more normal life. In this review, the most recent technological advancements regarding the rehabilitation, monitoring, and early prognosis of PD are presented. Furthermore, the possible neurological mechanisms responsible for the positive effects of technological-based interventions are discussed.

Adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS) has the potential to improve the treatment of Parkinson's disease by optimizing stimulation in real time according to fluctuating disease and medication state. In the present realization of adaptive DBS we record and stimulate from the DBS electrodes implanted in the subthalamic nucleus of patients with Parkinson's disease in the early post-operative period. Local field potentials are analogue filtered between 3 and 47 Hz before being passed to a data acquisition unit where they are digitally filtered again around the patient specific beta peak, rectified and smoothed to give an online reading of the beta amplitude. A threshold for beta amplitude is set heuristically, which, if crossed, passes a trigger signal to the stimulator. The stimulator then ramps up stimulation to a pre-determined clinically effective voltage over 250 msec and continues to stimulate until the beta amplitude again falls down below threshold. Stimulation continues in this manner with brief episodes of ramped DBS during periods of heightened beta power. Clinical efficacy is assessed after a minimum period of stabilization (5 min) through the unblinded and blinded video assessment of motor function using a selection of scores from the Unified Parkinson's Rating Scale (UPDRS). Recent work has demonstrated a reduction in power consumption with aDBS as well as an improvement in clinical scores compared to conventional DBS. Chronic aDBS could now be trialed in Parkinsonism.

Mice, both wildtype and transgenic, are the principal mammalian model in biomedical research currently. Intubation and mechanical ventilation are necessary for whole animal experiments that require surgery under deep anesthesia or measurements of lung function. Tracheostomy has been the standard for intubating the airway in these mice to allow mechanical ventilation. Orotracheal intubation has been reported but has not been successfully used in many studies because of the substantial technical difficulty or a requirement for highly specialized and expensive equipment. Here we report a technique of direct laryngoscopy using an otoscope fitted with a 2.0 mm speculum and using a 20 G intravenous catheter as an endotracheal tube. We have used this technique extensively and reliably to intubate and conduct accurate assessments of lung function in mice. This technique has proven safe, with essentially no animal loss in experienced hands. Moreover, this technique can be used for repeated studies of mice in chronic models.

Abstract Background Dementia is one of the greatest health and care priorities globally. Caring for persons with dementia is a challenge and often leads to negative psychological, physiological and financial consequences for informal carers (family members or friends). Many informal carers experience moderate to severe levels of burden. Advances in technology have the potential to assist persons with dementia and their carers, through assistive technology (AT) devices such as electronic medication dispensers, robotic devices and motion detectors. However, little is known about informal carers’ experience and the impact of these technologies on them. This review aims to investigate the outcomes and experience of carers of persons with dementia, who live at home and use AT. Method MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, AMED, ALOIS, PsycINFO, Trial registries and OpenGrey databases will be searched for studies of any design that have investigated carer experience and/or outcomes of AT use for persons with dementia living at home. Manual searches from reference lists of relevant papers will also be undertaken. Outcomes of interest are carers’ self-reported outcomes (which include perceived burden, quality of life and wellbeing) and carer experiences (such as usefulness, benefits and disadvantages of AT and impact on caregiver/care receiver relationship). Two independent reviewers will screen identified papers with pre-defined eligibility criteria and extract data using a bespoke extraction form. Discrepancies will be resolved in discussion with a third reviewer. A synthesis of eligible studies and summary will be provided. Discussion A systematic review of quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods evidence of informal carers’ experience of AT use in dementia in the community will be carried out. It is anticipated that this will highlight (1) investigations on impact of AT use on carers, (2) outcome measures and experience questionnaires that have been used and (3) the types of studies carried out so far on this topic. The results from the review will be presented in a summary matrix of common types (e.g. mobile phones, alarms) and uses (e.g. communication, safety, personal care) of AT in dementia care and also identify AT that is not usually available through government or health system funding. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42017082268.

Purpose – Assistive technology (AT) has been highlighted as a tool that can support self-management for people living with schizophrenia. A gap in the literature exists regarding the views held by the stakeholders involved in the health care of an individual living with schizophrenia regarding the potential use of AT to enable the self-management of this condition. The purpose of this paper is to explore how individuals living with schizophrenia, their relatives and their mental health care professionals view AT as a tool to facilitate self-management. Design/methodology/approach – This mixed methods research paper will discuss the findings of the second stage of a two-stage research study. The paper will discuss the findings of questionnaires that were disseminated to service users living with schizophrenia, their relatives and the health-care professionals of a community mental health service in the Greater Dublin area. Findings – The results indicate that the introduction of AT for the self-management of schizophrenia would be accepted by key stakeholders. Research limitations/implications – As AT continues to develop, it is clear from the findings presented in this paper that the main stakeholder groups involved in the care of an individual living with schizophrenia are amenable to the use of AT to facilitate the self-management of this condition. Further research is required to explore correct policing and management of its implementation. Originality/value – This study is the first study of its kind within an Irish context to explore the use of assistive technology as a tool for self-management from the perspective of those experiencing schizophrenia, their relatives and the health-care professionals working alongside them.

Abstract Introduction: Community engagement (CE) is critical for research on the adoption and use of assistive technology (AT) in many populations living in resource-limited environments. Few studies have described the process that was used for engaging communities in AT research, particularly within low-income communities of older Hispanic with disabilities where limited access, culture, and mistrust must be navigated. We aimed to identify effective practices to enhance CE of low-income Hispanic communities in AT research. Methods: The community stakeholders included community-based organizations, the community healthcare clinic, the local AT project, and residents of the Caño Martín Peña Community in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The CE procedures and activities during the Planning the Study Phase comprised working group meetings with stakeholders to cocreate the funding proposal for the study and address the reviewers’ critiques. During the Conducting the Study Phase, we convened a Community Advisory Board to assist in the implementation of the study. During the Disseminating the Study Results Phase, we developed and implemented plans to disseminate the research results. Results: We identified seven distinct practices to enhance CE in AT research with Hispanic communities: (1) early and continuous input; (2) building trusting and warm relationships through personal connections; (3) establishing and maintaining presence in the community; (4) power sharing; (5) shared language; (6) ongoing mentorship and support to community members; and (7) adapting to the changing needs of the community. Conclusion: Greater attention to CE practices may improve the effectiveness and sustainability of AT research with low-income communities.

Abstract Objective The objective of this research project was to evaluate the validity of proxy health-related quality of life measures in the context of paediatric mobility impairment. Accurate health-related quality of life data is essential for quality-adjusted life year calculation; a key outcome in economic evaluation. Thirteen child-parent dyads (13 children with mobility impairments, 13 parent proxies) were asked to complete a range of outcome measures (EQ-5D-Y, VAS and HUI2/3) relating to the child’s health. The relationship between respondent outcomes was examined using tests of respondent type effect (Wilcoxon signed-rank), correlation (Spearman’s rank-order) and agreement (Bland–Altman plots). Results Parent proxies significantly undervalued the health-related quality of life of their mobility-impaired children: children rated their health-related quality of life higher than their parents by proxy on all measures. The VAS had the highest overall mean score for children and proxies (79.50 [SD = 15.01] and 75.77 [SD = 14.70] respectively). Child and proxy results were significantly different (p

For most families with elderly relatives, care within their own home is by far the most preferred option -both for the elderly and their carers. However, frequently these carers are the partners of the person with long-term care needs, and themselves are elderly and in need of support to cope with the burdens and stress associated with these duties. When it becomes too much for them, they may have to rely on professional care services, or even use residential care for a respite. In order to support the carers as well as the elderly person, an ambient assisted living platform has been developed. The system records information about the activities of daily living using unobtrusive sensors within the home, and allows the carers to record their own wellbeing state. By providing facilities to schedule and monitor the activities of daily care, and providing orientation and advice to improve the care given and their own wellbeing, the system helps to reduce the burden on the informal carers.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the use of assistive technology, social support in everyday life and psychological existential orientation for individuals with physical disabilities. Methods: Forty-six elderly persons with physical disabilities (aged 73.7±10.6 years, range 53-93 years) were examined with regard to the use of assistive technology, social support in everyday life and psychological existential orientation by an extensive questionnaire set (questionnaire for assistive technology (AT-24), questionnaire for social support (F-SOZU-K-22) and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI)). Results: The subjects stated that they needed aid and social support in order to carry out their daily indoor/outdoor activities (for e.g. dressing, having a bath / shower, using toilet, eating, going up / down the stairs, shopping, or going out). The most commonly used mobility aid was the walking frame that accounted for 61.9%, followed by the walking stick with 40.5% and a bathtub lift with 21.4%. The results also showed the psychopathological symptoms in the sample. Discussion: Assistive technologies together with the support of relatives and care services help people to cope with a variety of activities in their daily lives with fewer restrictions. The effectiveness of the aids differs between participants because it depends on several factors such as health, knowledge, and information about aids, as well as the appropriate selection of aids.

Background Several technology-assisted aids are available to help blind and visually impaired people perform their daily activities. The current research uses the state-of-the-art technology to enhance the utility of traditional navigational aids to produce solutions that are more reliable. In this regard, a white cane is no exception, which is supplemented with the existing technologies to design Electronic Travel Aids (ETAs), Electronic Orientation Aids (EOAs), and Position Locator Devices (PLDs). Although several review articles uncover the strengths and limitations of research contributions that extend traditional navigational aids, we find no review article that covers research contributions on a technology-assisted white cane. The authors attempt to fill this literature gap by reviewing the most relevant research articles published during 2010–2017 with the common objective of enhancing the utility of white cane with the existing technology. Methods The authors have collected the relevant literature published during 2010–17 by searching and browsing all the major digital libraries and publishers’ websites. The inclusion/exclusion criteria were applied to select the research articles that are relevant to the topic of this review article, and all other irrelevant papers were excluded. Among the 577 (534 through database searching and 43 through other sources) initially screened papers, the authors collected 228 full-text articles, which after applying exclusion/inclusion criteria resulted in 36 papers that were included in the evaluation, comparison, and discussion. This also includes research articles of commercially available aids published before the specified range. Results The findings show that the research trend is shifting towards developing a technology-assisted white cane solution that is applicable in both indoor and outdoor environments to aid blind users in navigation. In this regard, exploiting smartphones to develop low-cost and user-friendly navigation solution is among the best research opportunities to explore. In addition, the authors contribute a theoretical evaluation framework to compare and evaluate the state-of-the-art solutions, identify research trends and future directions. Discussion Researchers have been in the quest to find out ways of enhancing the utility of white cane using existing technology. However, for a more reliable enhancement, the design should have user-centric characteristics. It should be portable, reliable, trust-worthy, lightweight, less costly, less power hungry, and require minimal training with special emphasis on its ergonomics and social acceptance. Smartphones, which are the ubiquitous and general-purpose portable devices, should be considered to exploit its capabilities in making technology-assisted white cane smarter and reliable.

To restore vision for the blind, several prosthetic approaches have been explored that convey raw images to the brain. So far, these schemes all suffer from a lack of bandwidth. An alternate approach would restore vision at the cognitive level, bypassing the need to convey sensory data. A wearable computer captures video and other data, extracts important scene knowledge, and conveys that to the user in compact form. Here, we implement an intuitive user interface for such a device using augmented reality: each object in the environment has a voice and communicates with the user on command. With minimal training, this system supports many aspects of visual cognition: obstacle avoidance, scene understanding, formation and recall of spatial memories, navigation. Blind subjects can traverse an unfamiliar multi-story building on their first attempt. To spur further development in this domain, we developed an open-source environment for standardized benchmarking of visual assistive devices.

Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of Kinect-based upper extremity rehabilitation on functional performance in chronic stroke survivors. Methods: This was a single cohort pre-post test study. Participants (N = 10; mean age = 62.5 ± 9.06) engaged in Kinect-based training three times a week for four to five weeks in a university laboratory. To simulate a clinic to home transfer condition, individualized guidance was given to participants at the initial three sessions followed by independent usage. Outcomes included Fugl-Meyer assessment of upper extremity, Wolf Motor Function Test, Stroke Impact Scale, Confidence of Arm and Hand Movement and Active Range of Motion. Participant experience was assessed using a structured questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. Results. Improvement was found in Fugl-Meyer assessment scores (p = 0.001), Wolf Motor Function Test, (p = 0.008), Active Range of Motion (p