In Pursuit of an Easy to Use Brain Computer Interface for Domestic Use in a Population with Brain Injury

This paper presents original research investigating a sensor based, ambient assisted smart home platform, within the framework of a brain computer interface (BackHome). This multimodal system integrates home-based sensors, mobile monitoring, with communication tools, web browsing, smart home control and cognitive rehabilitation. The target population are people living at home with acquired brain injury. This research engaged with the target population and those without brain injury, who provided a control for system testing. Aligned with our ethical governance a strong user centric ethos was foundational to participant engagement. Participant experience included three individual sessions to complete a pre-set protocol with supervision. Evaluation methodology included observations, time logging, completion of protocol and usability questionnaires. Results confirmed the average accuracy score for the people without brain injury was 82.6% (±4.7), performing best with the cognitive rehabilitation. Target end users recorded an average accuracy score of 76% (±11.5) with the speller logging the highest accuracy score. Additional outcomes included the need to refine the aesthetic appearance, as well as improving the reliability and responsiveness of the BCI. The findings outline the importance of engaging with end users to design and develop marketable BCI products for use in a domestic environment. DOI: 10.17762/ijritcc2321-8169.150610

P300 Brain Computer Interface Control after an Acquired Brain Injury

Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) are systems that can be controlled by the user through harnessing their brain signals. Extensive research has been undertaken within a laboratory setting with healthy users to illustrate the usability of such systems. To bring these systems to users with severe disabilities it is necessary to develop simple, easy to use systems that can be operated by non-experts outside of the lab and are evaluated by real end users preferably through a user centered design approach. This paper presents a user centered evaluation of a P300 BCI operated by non-expert users in a rehabilitation center with a control group of five healthy participants without acquired brain injury (ABI) and five end users with ABI. Each participant aimed to complete the 30-step protocol three separate times and rate his or her satisfaction from 0 to 10 on the Visual Analogue Scale after each session. Participants then rated their satisfaction with the BCI on the extended QUEST 2.0 and a customized usability questionnaire. The results indicated that end-users were able to achieve an average accuracy of 55% compared to the control group that reported an average of 78%. The findings indicated that participants were satisfied with the BCI but felt frustrated when it did not respond to their commands. This work was phase one of three to move the BCI system into end users homes. Key recommendations for advancing the P300 BCI towards an easy to use, home-based system were identified, including reducing the complexity of the setup, ensuring the system becomes more responsive and increasing the overall functionality. DOI: 10.17762/ijritcc2321-8169.15016

Building Bridges Through Understanding the Village Workshop: Transforming Nursing Students\u27 Perspectives of Indigenous People and Canadian History - Atelier « Building Bridges Through Understanding the Village » : Transformer la vision qu’ont les étudiantes en sciences infirmières des peuples autochtones et de l’histoire du Canada

A mixed methods design using a cross-sectional survey was used to describe participants’ experiences of an experiential workshop entitled Building Bridges Through Understanding the Village. The Building Bridges workshops were held at a university located in Western Canada in 2016 with 213 attendees. Informed by Indigenous epistemology, cultural safety, and Kolb’s experiential learning theory, a student-led team comprised of undergraduates, graduates, and faculty members planned, implemented, and evaluated an arts-based experiential workshop. Following acquisition of a signed informed consent, 159 participants consented to evaluate the workshop. The majority of workshop participants were undergraduate nursing students. Overall, the workshop was positively reviewed and highly rated. The overarching theme in the narrative responses about the workshop was “Words can only do so much.” This theme encapsulated three categories: 1) Imaginative empathy, 2) Made me feel made me think, and 3) Moving towards reconciliation. The results support the evidence that meaningful learning occurs through personal experience, reflection on those experiences, and integration of the new knowledge. The role-playing aspect of this workshop engaged attendees in a novel learning activity and facilitated an iterative cycle of experience (role-playing) and reflection (group discussion and narrative responses). By inviting participants to step into the lives of Indigenous peoples throughout history and feel what they might feel, deep insights were elicited at both a cognitive and emotional level. This workshop is one of many strategies to ensure that the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action are honored. Nursing educators from across Canada are encouraged to consult Elders from local Indigenous communities and implement similar experiential workshops for their students to enhance their understanding of Canada’s history and promote culturally safe nursing practice. Further research is needed to explore the impact of other educational strategies to adequately prepare nursing students for entry-level competencies. In particular, a future study is needed to explore Indigenous patients’ perspectives of their interactions with these workshop participants. Résumé Un devis mixte à partir d’un sondage transversal a été utilisé afin de décrire les expériences des participantes dans le cadre d’un atelier expérientiel nommé Building Bridges Through Understanding the Village [Construire des ponts en comprenant le village]. Ces ateliers, auxquels ont participé 213 personnes, ont eu lieu dans une université de l’ouest du Canada en 2016. Se basant sur une épistémologie autochtone, la sécurisation culturelle et la théorie de l’apprentissage expérientiel de Kolb, une équipe menée par des étudiantes et comprenant des étudiantes de premier cycle, des cycles supérieurs et des membres du corps professoral a planifié, tenu et évalué un atelier expérientiel utilisant les arts. Après une approbation éthique, 159 participantes ont signé un formulaire de consentement éclairé et accepté d’évaluer l’atelier. La majorité d’entre elles étaient des étudiantes de premier cycle en sciences infirmières. De manière générale, l’atelier a reçu une évaluation positive et des scores élevés. Le thème central tiré des réponses rédigées au sujet de l’atelier était “Words can only do so much.” [ Il y a une limite à ce que l’on peut faire avec les mots]. Ce thème englobait trois sous-thèmes : [traductions] 1) Empathie créative, 2) M’amène à ressentir, m’amène à penser et 3) Avancer vers la réconciliation. Les résultats soutiennent ceux des recherches antérieures à l’effet que des apprentissages significatifs sont réalisés grâce aux expériences personnelles, à la réflexion sur ces expériences et à l’intégration des nouvelles connaissances. L’élément jeu de rôle de l’atelier engageait les participantes dans une activité d’apprentissage innovante tout en facilitant le cycle itératif d’expérience (jeu de rôle) et de réflexion (discussions de groupe et réponses sous forme de récits). En invitant les participantes à jouer le rôle de personnes autochtones à travers l’histoire et à ressentir ce qu’elles ont sans doute ressenti, des prises de conscience profondes sur les plans cognitif et émotionnel ont été suscitées. Cet atelier est l’une des stratégies conçues pour assurer que les Appels à l’action du Rapport sur la vérité et la réconciliation soient respectés. Les professeures en sciences infirmières au Canada sont encouragées à consulter les Anciens de leurs communautés autochtones locales et à créer des ateliers expérientiels similaires pour leurs étudiantes, afin d’améliorer leur compréhension de l’histoire du Canada et de promouvoir une pratique infirmière culturellement sécuritaire. D’autres recherches s’imposent pour explorer les retombées d’autres stratégies d’apprentissage qui visent à bien préparer les étudiantes de sciences infirmières à exercer les compétences requises à l’entrée dans la pratique. Plus particulièrement, une étude explorant le point de vue des patients autochtones concernant leurs interactions avec les participantes de cet atelier serait nécessaire

Reducing recurrent stroke: Methodology of the motivational interviewing in stroke (MIST) randomized clinical trial

Rationale Recurrent stroke is prevalent in both developed and developing countries, contributing significantly to disability and death. Recurrent stroke rates can be reduced by adequate risk factor management. However, adherence to prescribed medications and lifestyle changes recommended by physicians at discharge after stroke is poor, leading to a large number of preventable recurrent strokes. Using behavior change methods such as Motivational Interviewing early after stroke occurrence has the potential to prevent recurrent stroke. Aims and/or hypothesis The overall aim of the study is to determine the effectiveness of motivational interviewing in improving adherence to medication and lifestyle changes recommended by treating physicians at and after hospital discharge in stroke patients 12 months poststroke to reduce risk factors for recurrent stroke. Design Recruitment of 430 first-ever stroke participants will occur in the Auckland and Waikato regions. Randomization will be to intervention or usual care groups. Participants randomized to intervention will receive four motivational interviews and five follow-up assessments over 12 months. Nonintervention participants will be assessed at the same time points. Study outcomes Primary outcome measures are changes in systolic blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein levels 12 months poststroke. Secondary outcomes include self-reported adherence and barriers to prescribed medications, new cardiovascular events (including stroke), changes in quality of life, and mood. Discussion The results of the motivational interviewing in stroke trial will add to our understanding of whether motivational interviewing may be potentially beneficial in the management of stroke and other diseases where similar lifestyle factors or medication adherence are relevant