Mobile Assistive Technologies Research Articles

Assessing the outcome of mobility assistive technology (OMAT) in daily living: results in an Italian sample

Background Despite the widely recognised benefits of assistive technology (AT) in everyday life, AT abandonment rate due to unmet user needs or expectations is high. World Health Organisation emphasised the importance of evaluating AT outcomes as a top research priority, but comprehensive approaches to assess users’ needs and AT impact are still limited. Aim The research study OMAT (outcomes of mobility assistive technology in rehabilitation pathways) aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a new AT assessment protocol for mobility AT, spanning from an initial evaluation of users’ and relatives’ needs to a follow-up after real-world use of assistive products (APs). Material and Methods An observational single-arm study involving 95 AT users was conducted at Fondazione Don Gnocchi (Milan, Italy). The OMAT protocol encompassed baseline assessment, user training, prescription, authorisation, delivery and follow-up. The evaluations blend standard clinical evaluations with validated AT outcome measures for perceived effectiveness of AT, user satisfaction and changes in quality of life. Results The feasibility of OMAT in clinical settings was established, with 67 user participants completing the protocol. Data showed positive impacts on user satisfaction and perceived AT effectiveness by all participants (users and relatives), with an improvement in the perceived degree of severity in problems. Quality of life outcomes, however, showed mixed results across various domains. Conclusion OMAT is a feasible protocol for assessing mobility APs in clinical settings, underscoring the importance of involving users in the prescription process and the need for comprehensive AT monitoring mechanisms. This approach could enhance AT service delivery, exceeding the current standards of the Italian-National-Health-Service. Implication for rehabilitation Personalise assistive technology (AT) based on user needs for higher effectiveness. Include structured follow-up in rehabilitation for better AT outcomes. Enhance patient involvement in AT selection to improve use. Focus on AT’s role in enhancing overall quality of life. Use validated tools for AT impact assessment and monitoring.

Theories, models and frameworks to understand barriers to the provision of mobility-assistive technologies: a scoping review

ObjectivesThere is strong evidence that mobility-assistive technologies improve occupational performance, social participation, educational and employment access and overall quality of life in people with disabilities. However, people with disabilities still...

Discovering Provider Awareness of Mobility Assistive Technologies and Clinical Guidelines- A Comparative Analysis with Consumer Responses

Discovering Provider Awareness of Mobility Assistive Technologies and Clinical Guidelines- A Comparative Analysis with Consumer Responses

Exploring mobility and transportation technology futures for people with ambulatory disabilities: A science fiction prototype

Although a number of studies have explored science fiction prototyping as a method for new product development, no study has ever used the method to examine the mobility and transportation technology needs of people with disabilities. The current research created a science fiction prototype, based on expert opinion expressed during an imagination workshop, which the authors then presented to a sample of people with ambulatory disabilities. Through a conjoint analysis, the sample members delineated the elements of the prototype they regarded as most important. The participants considered personal mobility assistive technology (either an automated wheelchair or an exoskeleton) the most important, followed by personal automation (autonomous [driverless] vehicle or personal robot) and thirdly by personal assistance technologies (real-time response versus augmented metaverse planning systems). Outputs to the conjoint analysis were clustered and three categories of individual emerged (i) more innovatively minded people who occupied the first cluster and preferred an exoskeleton, a personal robot and a subscription to the metaverse, (ii) people who appeared to be less technologically inclined and preferred an automated wheelchair, an autonomous vehicle and a subscription to a real-time assistive system, and (iii) a group with members favouring an AV but with few other predilections.

A user-led audit of the walkability and wheelability of Quebec City’s neighborhoods by mobility assistive technology users

For mobility assistive technology (MAT) users, environmental obstacles or helpful elements can make the difference between disabling situations and social participation. User led environmental evaluations can highlight difficulties MAT users experience, which can inform changes to the built and social environment. This study used the Stakeholders’ Walkability/Wheelability Audit in Neighbourhood People with Disabilities (SWAN-PDW) to identify observable (objective) and experienced (subjective) barriers/obstacles and facilitators/helpful features encountered by 25 MAT users in their daily lives in three residential environments (i.e. urban, semi-urban and suburban) in Quebec City (Canada). Because the participants’ were directly involved in the identification of obstacles and helpful elements, this type of user-led evaluation may empower MAT users to initiate discussions with the relevant authorities. By acknowledging the difficulties and opportunities encountered by MAT users, stakeholders can use these individuals’ expertise in the planning and decision-making processes to improve access for all citizens.

Assistive technology for people with visual disability: Future prospects through a technology foresight exercise

BACKGROUND: In recent years, with ever-improving technology, considerable progress has been made in the approaches available to develop mobility assistive technology systems. OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to anticipate the future of assistive technologies of navigation and mobility for people with severe visual disabilities in the next twenty years (2021–2041). METHODS: We conducted a technology foresight exercise by identifying promising technologies and invited over 20,000 researchers worldwide to share their views on the future of assistive technologies for people with visual impairment. The technologies and respondents were identified from specialized journals indexed on Web of Science. RESULTS: Most respondents believe computer vision will be the most important assistive technology group for mobility and navigation for visually impaired people, especially with haptic feedback. They also believe that voice and vibrotactile are the most relevant feedback and that glasses and smartphones will be the most important tools for visual impairment support. CONCLUSIONS: While costs and lack of user training may hamper the development and use of these new technologies, they represent the future of assistive technology for people with visual impairments.

The usability of two mobile health assistive technologies for wheelchair-related in-seat movement and pressure.

This study aimed to understand the degree to which two different mobile health assistive technologies, AW-Shift© and Sensoria® Mat, addressed seven constructs for managing wheelchair-related in-seat movement and pressure. After using each intervention system, participants answered questions regarding the general usability and usefulness of the systems. System Usability Survey scores ranged from 5 (Poor) to 97.5 (Excellent), with a median response of 60.0 (Okay) for AW-Shift© and 76.3 (Good) for Sensoria® Mat. Participants reported using AW-Shift© to check areas of high pressure on their cushion, the quality of their weight shifts, and their posture significantly more often than to check the condition of their cushion or to track their movement goals. Participants reported using Sensoria® Mat to check the quality and number of weight shifts, and their posture significantly more often than to check the condition of their cushion. The findings of this study highlight that there is no one-size-fits-all solution and that different subpopulations of wheelchair users may have different needs and preferences. Optimizing the design for specific cohorts or constructs can result in an effective product that consistently provides meaningful and accurate information about behavior and performance.

There are unique kinematics during locomotor transitions between level ground and stair ambulation that persist with increasing stair grade

Human ambulation is typically characterized during steady-state isolated tasks (e.g., walking, running, stair ambulation). However, general human locomotion comprises continuous adaptation to the varied terrains encountered during activities of daily life. To fill an important gap in knowledge that may lead to improved therapeutic and device interventions for mobility-impaired individuals, it is vital to identify how the mechanics of individuals change as they transition between different ambulatory tasks, and as they encounter terrains of differing severity. In this work, we study lower-limb joint kinematics during the transitions between level walking and stair ascent and descent over a range of stair inclination angles. Using statistical parametric mapping, we identify where and when the kinematics of transitions are unique from the adjacent steady-state tasks. Results show unique transition kinematics primarily in the swing phase, which are sensitive to stair inclination. We also train Gaussian process regression models for each joint to predict joint angles given the gait phase, stair inclination, and ambulation context (transition type, ascent/descent), demonstrating a mathematical modeling approach that successfully incorporates terrain transitions and severity. The results of this work further our understanding of transitory human biomechanics and motivate the incorporation of transition-specific control models into mobility-assistive technology.

Identifying Indoor Objects Using Neutrosophic Reasoning for Mobility Assisting Visually Impaired People

Indoor object detection is a fundamental activity for the development of applications of mobility-assistive technology for visually impaired people (VIP). The challenge of seeing interior objects in a real indoor environment is a challenging one since there are numerous complicated issues that need to be taken into consideration, such as the complexity of the background, occlusions, and viewpoint shifts. Electronic travel aids that are composed of the necessary sensors may assist VIPs with their navigation. The sensors have the ability to detect any obstacles, regardless of whether they are static or dynamic, and offer information on the context of an interior scene. The characteristics of an interior scene are not very clear and are subject to a great deal of variation. Recent years have seen the emergence of methods for dealing with issues of this kind, some of which include the use of neural networks, probabilistic methods, and fuzzy logic. This study describes a method for detecting indoor objects using a rotational ultrasonic array and neutrosophic logic. A neutrosophic set has been seen as the next evolution of the fuzzy set because of its indeterminate membership value, which is absent from conventional fuzzy sets. The suggested method is constructed to reflect the position of the walls (obstacle distance) and to direct the VIP to move freely (ahead, to the right, or to the left) depending on the degree of truthiness, the degree of indeterminacy, and the degree of falsity for the reflected distance. The results of the experiments show that the suggested indoor object detecting system has good performance, as its accuracy rate (a mean average precision) is 97.2 ± 1%.

Literature Review: Orientation and Mobility Assistive Technology for Students with Visual Impairment

The development of increasingly sophisticated technology is accompanied by the discovery of new assistive devices that should be accessible to all people, including the blind in order to maintain or improve functions so as to improve welfare. This study uses a literature review method with descriptive analysis by analyzing 20 articles. The purpose of this research is to examine more related to assistive technology for the blind in navigating indoors and outdoors including buildings and the accessibility of public services. The literature search was carried out through an electronic search for publications from ERIC, Researchgate, Spingerlink, Sage, Science Direct, Google Scholar and IEEE Xplore. The results of the study describe the use of various assistive technologies for the visually impaired related to navigation in spaces or buildings and even the wider environment as well as public services that are commonly accessed by the public. Furthermore, it is related to the existence of a brief description of the assistive technology developed and the benefits of the results of the development for users.

이동 보조기기를 이용하는 신체장애인의 삶의 만족도에 미치는 영향 : 심리적 요인과 환경적 요인을 중심으로

Objective : This study aims to analyze the effects of psychological and environmental factors on the use of mobility assistive devices on life satisfaction for the physically disabled. Methods : The general characteristics of the physically disabled people were cross-analyzed with descriptive statistics, and an independent sample t-test was performed for comparison between groups according to whether or not the physically disabled people used mobility assistive devices. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to analyze the correlation between life satisfaction and disability acceptance, depression, self-esteem, activity restriction, residential environment, and dependence on daily life of physically disabled people. Multiple regression analysis was performed to analyze the factors affecting the life satisfaction of physically disabled people using mobility assistive devices. In addition, the percentage of satisfaction with the mobility assistive devices currently in use is presented as a graph. Results : Significant differences were confirmed in psychological factors, environmental factors, and life satisfaction in the comparison of the two groups according to the use of mobility assistive devices. Life satisfaction of the physically disabled people was positively correlated with disability acceptance, self-esteem, and residential environment(p<.01), and negatively correlated with depression, activity restriction, and dependence on daily life(p<.01). Factors affecting the life satisfaction of the physically disabled people using mobility assistive devices were age(ß=-.122, p<.001), disability acceptance(ß=.263, p<.001), and depression(ß=-.288, p<.001), activity restriction(ß=-.181, p<.001), and residential environment(ß=.102, p<.01) were analyzed. Conclusions : In order to increase the life satisfaction of people with low physical function who use mobility assistive devices, policy support and assistive technology services for psychological and environmental factors should be provided.

Review of Navigation Assistive Tools and Technologies for the Visually Impaired.

The visually impaired suffer greatly while moving from one place to another. They face challenges in going outdoors and in protecting themselves from moving and stationary objects, and they also lack confidence due to restricted mobility. Due to the recent rapid rise in the number of visually impaired persons, the development of assistive devices has emerged as a significant research field. This review study introduces several techniques to help the visually impaired with their mobility and presents the state-of-the-art of recent assistive technologies that facilitate their everyday life. It also analyses comprehensive multiple mobility assistive technologies for indoor and outdoor environments and describes the different location and feedback methods for the visually impaired using assistive tools based on recent technologies. The navigation tools used for the visually impaired are discussed in detail in subsequent sections. Finally, a detailed analysis of various methods is also carried out, with future recommendations.

Mobile assistive technology with augmented reality for the elderly

&lt;p&gt;Technology offers many possibilities, but older people often do not fully enjoy these opportunities and are frustrated or afraid of these new devices. This has led to their gradual isolation in a society where different forms of communication through the Internet and ICT are essential. In this article, we describe a study conducted during the nacodeal project, which aims to provide technical solutions for the elderly to provide autonomy and better quality of life in their daily activities by integrating information and communication technologies. In order to achieve this goal, advanced augmented reality (RA) technology and Internet services and mobile device interfaces specially designed for the elderly have been developed. These technologies use the underlying structure of most home and geriatric care centers. We propose a prototype system composed of tablet computers and portable RA devices, and analyze the impact of society on user interaction, as well as the evaluation of acceptability and usability. The assessment was conducted through focus groups and individual pilot tests with 48 participants: The elderly, caregivers and experts. His comments concluded that older people have a strong interest and interest in RA based nursing information and communication technologies, especially those related to communication and autonomy.&lt;/p&gt;

Towards an adaptable framework for mobility assistive technologies

This study approaches adaptability for mobility assistive technologies by proposing an adaptable framework for mobility assistive technologies, inspired by ACT-R, the desiderata for developing cognitive architectures as highlighted by R. Sun and Vernon et al. and human behaviour. This study proposes an adaptable framework for shared control and autonomous mobility as the first step towards the formation of a comprehensive adaptive framework. This study proposes a minimalist four-module adaptive framework consisting of the perception/motor module, the cognitive module, the memory module, and the action module. The minimum requirements for the implementation of this framework on an intelligent wheelchair for shared/collaborative control were highlighted. Although an overview of the proposed adaptive framework for mobility assistive technologies was presented, there are still numerous concerns to address. One of the main issues remains the most suitable connectionist and symbolic process to be used in the hybrid framework, which will be investigated in future work. In addition, it is still essential to resolve details of the adaptation/learning process in the framework, so it will be necessary to develop learning mechanisms in cooperation with reward systems as well as observation/inference systems for the framework.

Biomechanical analysis of an unpowered hip flexion orthosis on individuals with and without multiple sclerosis

BackgroundGait impairment is a common complication of multiple sclerosis (MS). Gait limitations such as limited hip flexion, foot drop, and knee hyperextension often require external devices like crutches, canes, and orthoses. The effects of mobility-assistive technologies (MATs) prescribed to people with MS are not well understood, and current devices do not cater to the specific needs of these individuals. To address this, a passive unilateral hip flexion-assisting orthosis (HFO) was developed that uses resistance bands spanning the hip joint to redirect energy in the gait cycle. The purpose of this study was to investigate the short-term effects of the HFO on gait mechanics and muscle activation for people with and without MS. We hypothesized that (1) hip flexion would increase in the limb wearing the device, and (2) that muscle activity would increase in hip extensors, and decrease in hip flexors and plantar flexors.MethodsFive healthy subjects and five subjects with MS walked for minute-long sessions with the device using three different levels of band stiffness. We analyzed peak hip flexion and extension angles, lower limb joint work, and muscle activity in eight muscles on the lower limbs and trunk. Single-subjects analysis was used due to inter-subject variability.ResultsFor subjects with MS, the HFO caused an increase in peak hip flexion angle and a decrease in peak hip extension angle, confirming our first hypothesis. Healthy subjects showed less pronounced kinematic changes when using the device. Power generated at the hip was increased in most subjects while using the HFO. The second hypothesis was not confirmed, as muscle activity showed inconsistent results, however several subjects demonstrated increased hip extensor and trunk muscle activity with the HFO.ConclusionsThis exploratory study showed that the HFO was well-tolerated by healthy subjects and subjects with MS, and that it promoted more normative kinematics at the hip for those with MS. Future studies with longer exposure to the HFO and personalized assistance parameters are needed to understand the efficacy of the HFO for mobility assistance and rehabilitation for people with MS.

The voice of the consumer: A survey of consumer priorities to inform knowledge translation among Veterans who use mobility assistive technology

LAY SUMMARY Mobility assistive technology (AT) can improve the lives of people with disabilities by helping them get around in their communities. Today, over 23.9 million Americans use a wheelchair or assistive device, and over 85,000 wheelchairs, scooters, or other mobility devices are provided to Veterans each year. In order to find out how people learn about AT to improve efforts to disseminate information about AT, a survey of people who use mobility AT was conducted. The majority of people who completed the survey were Veterans (82%). It was determined that these people most often learned about AT through other users and/or from Veterans and the Internet, and that some people wish to receive information in other ways. Researchers can use these findings to better reach the people who could benefit from the new mobility AT they are creating.

Discontinuation or abandonment of mobility assistive technology among people with neurological conditions.

Among other limitations, people with neurological conditions often experience problems with functional mobility. One of the intervention strategies employed to mitigate or compensate this limitation is the use of mobility assistive technology such as manual and electric wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches, etc. Although assistive technology is a commonly used intervention strategy among disabled people, the use of this technology is sometimes discontinued or abandoned due to a failure to meet the user's needs or a lack of training, among other reasons. The sample used in this study comprises 80 users of mobility assistive technology, 14 of whom have abandoned or discontinued their use of Assistive Technology. The study variables include the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale for outcome measurement, as well as specific sociodemographic variables relating to the sample and the assistive device used. Significant values were obtained in the three subscales of the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale. 50% of abandonments of assistive technology occurred among people diagnosed with stroke. The Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale can be a useful tool for assessing potential abandonment or non-use of Assistive Technology. More longitudinal studies are required to avoid this limitation on the use of assistive technology.

Sociodemographic and health profile of institutionalized people aged 65 and over

Introduction: Accommodation for people aged 65 and over in social institutions is often the only opportunity for their physical survival. Revealing the specific characteristics of elderly people living in institutions will help the understanding and satisfaction of their different needs, and hopefully will increase their quality of life. Aim: The aim of this study is to reveal the sociodemographic and health profile of institutionalized people aged 65 and over. Materials and Methods: Sociodemographic and health information for age, gender, education, marital status, diagnosed diseases and mobility for all 175 people aged 65 and over, living in four residential homes in Varna and Provadia was extracted from their records. Results: The most prevalent group among the studied participants is women, and those in the age group 81–85 years. Most of the residents are widowers with upper secondary education. The leading diagnosis among the institutionalized elderly are those from ICD class IX: Diseases of the Circulatory System. Most of the people have limited mobility and use assistive technology (AT). People with normal and limited mobility have an almost equal share, as the first group is 44% and the second—46.3%. The remaining nearly 10% are severely disabled (unable to leave the bed). Conclusion: The sociodemographic and health profile of institutionalised elderly people provides necessary information to health professionals for the health needs of that specific group of the population.

Development of the MobQoL patient reported outcome measure for mobility-related quality of life

Purpose To examine how mobility and mobility impairment affect quality of life; to develop a descriptive system (i.e., questions and answers) for a novel mobility-related quality of life outcome measure. Materials and methods Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Participants were recruited predominantly from NHS posture and mobility services. Qualitative framework analysis was used to analyse data. In the first stage of analysis the key dimensions of mobility-related quality of life were defined, and in the second stage a novel descriptive system was developed from the identified dimensions. Results Forty-six interviews were conducted with 37 participants (aged 20–94 years). Participants had a wide range of conditions and disabilities which impaired their mobility, including cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis. Eleven dimensions of mobility-related quality of life were identified: accessibility, safety, relationships, social inclusion, participation, personal care, pain and discomfort, independence, energy, self-esteem, and mental-wellbeing. A new outcome measure, known as MobQoL, was developed. Conclusions Mobility and mobility impairment can have significant impacts on quality of life. MobQoL is the first outcome measure designed specifically to measure the impact of mobility on quality of life, and therefore has utility in research and practice to measure patient outcomes related to rehabilitation. Implications for Rehabilitation Mobility impairment affects many different aspects of health and quality of life. The impact of mobility impairment on quality of life is related to processes of physical, emotional, and behavioural adaptation. MobQoL is the first patient-reported outcome measure designed specifically to measure the quality of life impacts of mobility impairment and assistive mobility technology use. MobQoL has potential to be used by rehabilitation professionals to measure and monitor mobility-related quality of life as part of routine clinical practice.

The Challenges of Adopting M-Learning Assistive Technologies for Visually Impaired Learners in Higher Learning Institution in Tanzania

In the past decades, the world has experienced major changes in the advancement of learning technologies which has enabled learners to engage in their learning activities anywhere. The penetration of mobile phone internet users in Tanzania has been increasing from 2 million in 2011 to 23mil in 2017 The adoption of mobile-based learning (M-learning) for students who are visually impaired in Tanzania has become a major bottleneck since most of the e-learning contents assume that learners have sight and thus include a lot of visualizations. This causes visually impaired students in higher learning Institutions (HLIs) to face challenges such as technical knowledge gaps. Lack of skills and inaccessibility of online contents, which then lead to drop out of the university. The aim of this study is to determine the awareness and usage levels of existing mobile assistive technologies for visual impairment, and the remaining challenges that visually impaired students face, when using such tools on smartphones to access m-learning content from HLIs. in Tanzania. The research was conducted an observational and contextual inquiry study at three major HLIs. We found that 67% of respondents did not have knowledge of m-learning assistive technologies, and their technology barriers for visually impaired students. Also, knowledge, accessibility of Assistive technology and affordability can hinder the adoption of m-learning in Higher Learning Institutions