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Occupational therapists' evaluation of the perceived usability and utility of wearable soft robotic exoskeleton gloves for hand function rehabilitation following a stroke
- Source :
- Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technology.
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- To evaluate the perceived usability and utility of using a soft robotic glove to rehabilitate hand function following a stroke.A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used to consult a convenience sample of 14 experienced occupational therapists (OTs) practicing within a specialised stroke rehabilitation program. All OTs participated in one 60-to-90-minute individual consultation during which the attributes of a recently-developed soft robotic glove (ExoGlove) were presented before they could test it on themselves. After this consultation, OTs completed the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire and answered open-ended questions focussing on the usability and utility of soft robotic gloves framed according to the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT).The OTs perceived the glove's usability as being moderate-to-good on the SUS (median score= 63.75 on a scale of 100). Thematic analysis revealed the importance of specifically considering elements such as ease of use (e.g. simplicity and speed), cost, movement precision, durability, and safety, when developing soft robotic gloves such as the ExoGlove.Engagement in a continuous improvement process is essential to maximise the perceived usability and utility of soft robotic gloves, particularly of the ExoGlove, through their final development phase before pilot testing their effects and effectiveness for post-stroke hand rehabilitation.Implications for rehabilitationAll occupational therapists anticipate that a soft robotic glove such as the ExoGlove will allow them to increase treatment intensity and best aligns with principles of neuroplasticity.The clinical judgement and guidance of OTs, developed through practice, experience, and knowledge, remain essential to safely and efficiently exercise with a soft robotic glove.Achieving a balance between effort and performance expectancies is essential in developing and improving the functionality of soft robotic gloves, as with each additional functionality comes new challenges that impact its successful transition to a clinical setting.
- Subjects :
- 030506 rehabilitation
medicine.medical_specialty
Rehabilitation
Hand function
Computer science
business.industry
medicine.medical_treatment
Biomedical Engineering
Soft robotics
Wearable computer
Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation
Usability
Exoskeleton
03 medical and health sciences
Speech and Hearing
0302 clinical medicine
Physical medicine and rehabilitation
Perceived usability
medicine
Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
0305 other medical science
business
030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 17483115
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....39f5fa5dacd8ddf733f52cdb94540d85