3,712 research outputs found

    Co-designing smart home technology with people with dementia or Parkinson's disease

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    Involving users is crucial to designing technology successfully, especially for vulnerable users in health and social care, yet detailed descriptions and critical reflections on the co-design process, techniques and methods are rare. This paper introduces the PERCEPT (PERrsona-CEntred Participatory Technology) approach for the co-design process and we analyse and discuss the lessons learned for each step in this process. We applied PERCEPT in a project to develop a smart home toolset that will allow a person living with early stage dementia or Parkinson's to plan, monitor and self-manage his or her life and well-being more effectively. We present a set of personas which were co-created with people and applied throughout the project in the co-design process. The approach presented in this paper will enable researchers and designers to better engage with target user groups in co-design and point to considerations to be made at each step for vulnerable users

    Designing socially acceptable mHealth technologies for Parkinson's disease self-management

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    Mobile health (mHealth) technologies for Parkinson’s disease management have developed quickly in recent years. Research in this area typically focuses on evaluation of the accuracy and reliability of the technology, often to the exclusion of social factors and patient perspectives. This qualitative systematic review aimed to investigate the barriers to and facilitators of use mHealth technologies for disease self-management from the perspective of People with Parkinson's (PwP). Findings revealed that technological, as well as social, and financial factors are key considerations for mHealth design, to ensure its acceptability, and long-term use by PwP. This study proposes that a co-design approach could contribute to the design and development of mHealth that are socially acceptable to PwP, and enable their successful long-term use in the context of daily life.Mobile health (mHealth) technologies for Parkinson’s disease management have developed quickly in recent years. Research in this area typically focuses on evaluation of the accuracy and reliability of the technology, often to the exclusion of social factors and patient perspectives. This qualitative systematic review aimed to investigate the barriers to and facilitators of use mHealth technologies for disease self-management from the perspective of People with Parkinson's (PwP). Findings revealed that technological, as well as social, and financial factors are key considerations for mHealth design, to ensure its acceptability, and long-term use by PwP. This study proposes that a co-design approach could contribute to the design and development of mHealth that are socially acceptable to PwP, and enable their successful long-term use in the context of daily life

    Designing for designers: Towards the development of accessible ICT products and services using the VERITAS framework

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    Among key design practices which contribute to the development of inclusive ICT products and services is user testing with people with disabilities. Traditionally, this involves partial or minimal user testing through the usage of standard heuristics, employing external assisting devices, and the direct feedback of impaired users. However, efficiency could be improved if designers could readily analyse the needs of their target audience. The VERITAS framework simulates and systematically analyses how users with various impairments interact with the use of ICT products and services. Findings show that the VERITAS framework is useful to designers, offering an intuitive approach to inclusive design.The work presented in this article forms part of VERITAS, which is funded by the European Commission's 7th Framework Programme (FP7) (grant agreement # 247765 FP7-ICT-2009.7.2)

    Evaluation of data usability generated by wearables & IoT-enabled home use medical devices via Telehealth to identify if blockchain can solve potential challenges

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    The adoption of blockchain shows a variety of benefits owing to an incorruptible digital ledger and a decentralized database. This has eliminated the need for a gatekeeper to oversee all associated transactions. Blockchain, the underlying technology behind bitcoin and other crypto-currencies, has found use in many industries besides finance, such as healthcare, where it has shown promise in several use-cases. Patient data is collected using a plethora of devices, such as wearables or IoT-enabled home use medical devices. These types of devices are utilized in telehealth and provide the ability to remotely monitor the patient’s health condition. This requires the patient to perform measurements themselves in their home (such as vital signs), which puts the burden of reliable and precised patient exam data in the hands of the patients. The purpose of this quantitative study is to increase the understanding of what factors affect data usability generated by these devices, with the findings that the surveyed medical professionals are concerned that patients may have issues setting up the device in the home, operating the device properly (including not positioning themselves or the device correctly), the provider not knowing where the patient resides during measurement, or the patient’s inability to determine when a device has malfunctioned. Upon analyzing blockchain’s capabilities, it was discovered that blockchain cannot fix all identified hurdles, however, it can be used (in conjunction with smart contracts) to limit invalid data transmission to the provider. It was discussed that blockchain may also be utilized to overcome interoperability issues caused by the inability of most Electronic Medical Records (EMRs – sometimes also referred to as Electronic Health Record – EHR) to communicate and provide the patient governance of his/her own medical record. While there are interoperability issues amongst blockchain themselves, Estonia, for instance, has harnessed the power of a single blockchain for digital security and has overcome this interoperability issue

    The Design Process and Usability Assessment of an Exergame System to Facilitate Strength for Task Training for Lower Limb Stroke Rehabilitation

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    Successful stroke rehabilitation relies on early, long-term, repetitive and intensive treatment, which is rarely adhered to by patients. Exergames can increase patients’ engagement with their therapy. Marketed exergaming systems for lower limb rehabilitation are hard to find and, none yet, facilitate Strength for Task Training (STT), a novel physiotherapeutic method for stroke rehabilitation. STT involves performing brief but intensive strength training (priming) prior to task-specific training to promote neural plasticity and maximize the gains in locomotor ability. This research investigates how the design of an exergame system (game and game controller) for lower limb stroke rehabilitation can facilitate unsupervised STT and therefore allow stroke patients to care for their own health. The findings suggest that specific elements of STT can be incorporated in an exergame system. Barriers to use can be reduced through considering the diverse physiological and cognitive abilities of patients and aesthetic consideration can help create a meaningful system than promotes its use in the home. The semantics of form and movement play an essential role for stroke patients to be able to carry out their exercises

    Future bathroom: A study of user-centred design principles affecting usability, safety and satisfaction in bathrooms for people living with disabilities

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    Research and development work relating to assistive technology 2010-11 (Department of Health) Presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 22 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 197

    Information Technologies for Cognitive Decline

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    Information technology (IT) is used to establish a diagnosis and provide treatment for people with cognitive decline. The condition affects many before it becomes clear that more permanent changes, like dementia, could be noticed. Those who search for information are exposed to lots of information and different technologies which they need to make sense of and eventually use to help themselves. In this research literature and information available on the Internet were systematically analyzed to present methods used for diagnosis and treatment. Methods used for diagnosis are self-testing, sensors, Virtual Reality (VR), and brain imaging. Methods used for treatment are games, websites with information and media, Virtual Reality (VR), sensors, and robots. The resulting concept of knowledge was the basis of an artifact whose main goal was to present the facts to the broad public. This implied that a user-friendly artifact was developed through three iterations using the Design Science framework. A total of nine users and IT usability experts have evaluated the artifact returning the SUS score of 85,83 for users and 87,5 for IT usability experts. NielsenÂŽs heuristics were assessed by IT usability experts only, returning an average score of 4,28. The general response was positive regarding both the content and the attempt to present methods used in cognitive decline. It reminds to be seen how to bring this knowledge to those who are most affected by the decline.Masteroppgave i informasjonsvitenskapINFO390MASV-INF

    Fun weight

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    Treball desenvolupat dins el marc del programa 'European Project Semester' i l'"International Design Project Semester".The main objective of the Fun Weight project was to decrease the level of anxiety from children during preoperative treatment, while the gathering of measurements essential for further hospitalization takes place. This assignment has been conducted by an international and multidisciplinary team whose members were from fields of: Product Design, Electronics and Information Communication Technologies, Mechanical Engineering and Information Technology. The project was interesting and constructive due to tight cooperation with the Hospital de Sant Joan de Deu in Barcelona which was the main stakeholder of this project. Methodology of the project consisted of in advance strictly defined steps, which were: researching, designing of the interactive game, designing/development of the application, prototyping of the application, prototyping of the interactive game and testing. However the development of the interactive game and the application have been performed simultaneously. The outcome of this project has reached its end at the 17th of June and concluded following three elements: electronical prototype of the interactive game, three dimensional model of the game and the mobile application for retrieving measurements and communicating with the interactive game. The stage of testing was divided into three independent sections: testing of the application usability, testing of the application functionality and evaluation of actual anxiety decreasing. As a result of application usability test, an average rate of ease of the interface has been obtained at the level of 2 what states for easy to use. Functionality tests have been performed with application of the Angel Sensor in function of the measuring device. In spite of problems encountered during the use of that sensor, basic functionalities of the application have been confirmed. Due to the shortage of the time, evaluation of decrease of anxiety level has not yet been conducted

    How a Diverse Research Ecosystem Has Generated New Rehabilitation Technologies: Review of NIDILRR’s Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers

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    Over 50 million United States citizens (1 in 6 people in the US) have a developmental, acquired, or degenerative disability. The average US citizen can expect to live 20% of his or her life with a disability. Rehabilitation technologies play a major role in improving the quality of life for people with a disability, yet widespread and highly challenging needs remain. Within the US, a major effort aimed at the creation and evaluation of rehabilitation technology has been the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs) sponsored by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. As envisioned at their conception by a panel of the National Academy of Science in 1970, these centers were intended to take a “total approach to rehabilitation”, combining medicine, engineering, and related science, to improve the quality of life of individuals with a disability. Here, we review the scope, achievements, and ongoing projects of an unbiased sample of 19 currently active or recently terminated RERCs. Specifically, for each center, we briefly explain the needs it targets, summarize key historical advances, identify emerging innovations, and consider future directions. Our assessment from this review is that the RERC program indeed involves a multidisciplinary approach, with 36 professional fields involved, although 70% of research and development staff are in engineering fields, 23% in clinical fields, and only 7% in basic science fields; significantly, 11% of the professional staff have a disability related to their research. We observe that the RERC program has substantially diversified the scope of its work since the 1970’s, addressing more types of disabilities using more technologies, and, in particular, often now focusing on information technologies. RERC work also now often views users as integrated into an interdependent society through technologies that both people with and without disabilities co-use (such as the internet, wireless communication, and architecture). In addition, RERC research has evolved to view users as able at improving outcomes through learning, exercise, and plasticity (rather than being static), which can be optimally timed. We provide examples of rehabilitation technology innovation produced by the RERCs that illustrate this increasingly diversifying scope and evolving perspective. We conclude by discussing growth opportunities and possible future directions of the RERC program
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