Assistive Technology最新文献

The paper describes the development of an open-source, low-cost, wearable hand myoelectrical orthosis (neuro-orthosis) device for people with hand disabilities. The device uses functional electrical stimulation (FES) driven by myoelectrical signals (MES) to assist hand movements, enabling users to perform daily activities with greater ease and independence. The device comprises a forearm-wearable device developed using the 3D additive manufacturing principle, allowing user customization. Fixed non-disposable electrodes are attached to the myoelectrical orthosis, aiding the correct positioning for the user. The whole control system is stand-alone, and parameters can be controlled by Bluetooth communication, making the device wireless. The paper describes the MES-FES device's design, development, and testing, including its technical specifications, usability, and effectiveness. The open-source project aims to provide an accessible and affordable solution for people with spinal cord lesions while contributing to the growing research on noninvasive muscle-machine interfaces.

Drop foot is a common consequence of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which may be improved somewhat by an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO). This study aimed to examine the immediate effect of using the recently developed Novel Hybrid Passive Spring Damper AFO (the novel HPSDAFO) on the kinetic and kinematic parameters of patients with MS (PwMS) in the sagittal plane. Twelve PwMS who suffered a unilateral drop foot participated in this study and fitted with the novel HPSDAFO. They walked with the novel HPSDAFO on the affected side and shoe on the affected side at a self-selected speed. Walking by the novel HPSDAFO, the symmetry of all of the evaluated sagittal kinetic and kinematic parameters improved noticeably. The range of ankle plantarflexion and knee flexion increased significantly at the stance phase. Power generation increased at all three joints. The peak of ankle dorsiflexion at early stances and the first peak of knee extension moments increased significantly but decreased at the hip joint. Changes in sagittal ROM, moment, and power generation in the plane and the improved symmetry revealed a more normal walking by using the novel HPSDAFO on the affected limb of PwMS.

Sleep problems are highly prevalent in autism and negatively impact the physical and mental health of children and their caregivers. Sleep education programs are often recommended as a first line-treatment to help parents implement healthy sleeping habits and a bedtime routine at home; however, the accompanying paper-based toolkits used in the bedtime routines have limitations related to engagement and adherence. To address these gaps, we iteratively developed and tested the usability of an augmented reality (AR) bedtime routine application. Our single participant design study (n = 7 child/parent dyads) found 86% compliance with the program and suggested good-excellent usability of the app with a trend toward increased willingness and faster completion of children's bedtime routines. This work supports the feasibility of using technology-based tools in sleep education programs and informs future clinical studies examining the effectiveness of these approaches for mitigating sleep difficulties.

This article presents the engineering design and preliminary testing of the Afari^TM mobility device and the integrated Intrac^TM activity tracking system. The patented Afari design is a three-wheeled device that assists users of any age with mobility impairments with outdoor exercise and movement in various environments and surfaces. We devised methods for testing of the Afari to ensure safe and flexible mobility assistance and demonstrated a high level of stability and structural integrity suitable for vigorous outdoor exercise. A smartphone-based sensing system, the Intrac, was designed for and integrated with the Afari to monitor the user's interaction forces and important gait parameters. The Intrac offers a graphical user interface for displaying and sharing measurements with users and providers, and the accuracy of its measurements was validated by testing its individual components. A preliminary subject study showed that the participants could use the Afari for various levels of weight compensation during walking, while the Intrac enabled the measurement of interactive forces on their arms and key gait parameters. The results demonstrate the potential of the Afari and Intrac to provide a safe walking experience in a variety of terrains and continuously monitor users' gait.

This study describes the development and content validation of the Electronic Instrumental activities of daily living Satisfaction Assessment (EISA), a self-report outcome measure for assessing satisfaction with completing instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) for People With Disabilities (PWD) using internet-Connected Assistive Devices (iCAD). For this study, an iCAD is defined as any information communication technology/electronic device or software that assists with promoting, maintaining, and/or enhancing the ability of a PWD to live independently in society. Phase 1 of development involved generating an initial item pool based on a literature review. Content validity of the EISA was computed in Phase 2 using the Qualtrics on-line research platform. Utilizing the content validity index procedure, EISA demonstrated acceptable content validity: item level (I-CVI of 0.78 or higher) and scale level (S-CVI/Ave of 0.90 or higher). EISA version 1.0 was generated in Phase 3 where it is the first of its kind outcome measure specifically designed for assessing satisfaction with completing IADL for PWD using iCAD.

Adaptive ride-on toy programs have increased in popularity in recent years and provide novel rehabilitation tools as developmental aids for children with disabilities. While the adaptations made to these toys are intended to provide a safer experience for children with disabilities, safety concerns still exist. Within this context, the purpose of this study was to use a model with varying joint stiffness as a first-order approximation of a child with disabilities and to investigate whether modifications to ride-on toys are sufficient to prevent common injuries. Because the population of children with disabilities who are receiving adaptive ride-on toys have a wide range of musculoskeletal disorders, those with both decreased and increased muscle stiffness were considered in this safety study. A 5-point harness reduced movement regardless of change in joint stiffness and therefore, results from this study indicate that the use of these harnesses is effective regardless of joint stiffness. Furthermore, as excursion-related injuries are considered more critical to the user than injuries relating to kinetic variables and no known injury thresholds were exceeded, the addition of a belt is considered a necessary trade-off with little-to-no added risk.

This systematic review seeks to gather and analyze the evidence on wheelchair pressure relieving cushions, and report on the optimal materials and designs for reducing pressure injury risk. The following research question guides this study: Which wheelchair cushions best reduce pressure injury risk? PIs continue to impact the health and function of wheelchairs users with significant mobility impairments. Pressure relieving cushions are typically prescribed to provide pressure relief in the pre-wound, wound, and post-wound phases. Presently, no published reviews analyze all of the commonly available cushion materials. Most comparison studies typically address a specific population such as spinal cord injury, or only a few styles of cushion design/materials. Results suggest air-cell cushions provide optimal pressure relief and shear reduction. Furthermore, small sample single cohort studies suggest off-loading cushions provide superior pressure relief beyond that of air-celled cushions but require additional research for greater generalizability.

During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, the use of technology to continue societal functions, maintain daily living, and gather information became near ubiquitous overnight. In the United States, universities moved to remote online education, non-essential personnel were asked to work from home, many businesses were forced to rapidly embrace online purchasing and even entertainers held concerts on social media platforms. Professional medical personnel, as well as state and local officials, held daily press briefings about the virus on television, radio, and social media. Disaster research has shown that often disasters exacerbate preexisting inequalities during all-hazards and therefore there are several populations likely to be more at risk, such as people with disabilities, and older adults. While complications from the coronavirus were more severe for older adults and those with preexisting health conditions, the preparedness and response efforts to contain the virus lessened the resiliency of other populations during the US outbreaks, potentially hampering their ability to recover at the same rate. For example, several press conferences from officials failed to include or display ASL interpreters. This would put some Americans at a disadvantage since they may have been unable to receive all of the pertinent information on how to keep safe. Furthermore, with nearly 22% of households without broadband internet access (per Pew Research Center), several individuals will not be able to take advantage of the rapid remote learning and work-from-home recommendations. Even when individuals have access to the Internet, older adults have been found to be less knowledgeable about privacy and security tools than younger adults.

Wheeled mobility devices enable persons with limited mobility to maintain an independent lifestyle. Lever-drive propulsion options have been shown to increase wheeled mobility device efficiency while reducing physical strain on users. Despite these benefits, they have not been widely adopted for everyday use. Two novel lever-drive devices (RoScooter and RoTrike) provide an alternative to pushrim propulsion by using an integrated front-and-center push-pull lever mechanism. The objectives of this study were to assess the usability and performance of the lever-drive devices using both rehabilitation professional and user feedback. The study enrolled 17 rehabilitation professionals and 13 users who performed various mobility tasks to rate the performance of the RoScooter and RoTrike for ease of use, stability, safety, appearance, and comfort. Users were graded on their performance using a scoring system based on the Wheelchair Skills Test. Rehabilitation professionals suggested improvements in regard to adjustability, maneuverability, target population, and appearance, preferring the operations of the RoScooter to the RoTrike. Users reported that the devices were entertaining and easy to use, but improvements in adjustability, reversal methods, and operation options to appeal to a wider range of consumers are needed before lever-drive devices are suitable to replace or supplement current wheeled mobility devices.