A Novel Method for Designing and Implementing a Training Device for Hand Rehabilitation

Current hand exoskeleton systems for assistive and rehabilitative purposes pose challenges due to weight, bulk, and size, thus negatively affecting user experience in terms of comfort and wearability. End-user involvement is vital during design and deployment to improve usefulness, usability and user acceptance. A scoping review was conducted to identify the currently prioritized user requirements and user-centered practices in the development of hand exoskeleton systems. Content analysis was used to identify the user-centered design criteria and user research methodologies in 124 articles. More studies aim for rehabilitation than assistance and the dominant form of assessment is system validation. Wearability, comfort, portability, adaptability, affordability and safety were the most frequently targeted user-centered criteria. Only 38 articles reported assessment with human subjects, the majority of them being functional tests, followed by usability tests. We offer user-centered design directions and methodological suggestions for user involvement to improve the usability and acceptability of the exoskeleton systems, and discuss the necessity for restructuring the engineering design strategy for better adaptability. This research has direct applications for the design and assessment of assistive and rehabilitative hand exoskeletons by offering user requirements. The findings and suggestions can have wider implications in the field of wearable robotics for developing, evaluating, and refining systems through a user-centered perspective.

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A Novel Method for Designing and Implementing a Training Device for Hand Rehabilitation

Cited by 2 publications

References 13 publications

Multidisciplinary collaboration on exoskeleton development adopting user-centered design: a systematic integrative review

Multidisciplinary collaboration on exoskeleton development adopting user-centered design: a systematic integrative review

User Requirements and Involvement Methods in the Development of Hand Exoskeletons: A Review

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