Meng-Ju Tsai, Pei-Chun Chen, Shwu-Jiuan Wang, Ren-Hau Li
{"title":"Picture communication symbols and voice symbols: iconicity and preference among healthy older adults in Taiwan.","authors":"Meng-Ju Tsai, Pei-Chun Chen, Shwu-Jiuan Wang, Ren-Hau Li","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2024.2420188","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2024.2420188","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Purpose</b>.</p><p><p>Unaided (e.g., speech and gestures) and aided (e.g., symbol corpuses) communication modes facilitate older adults' expression and comprehension. Adults aged 65 years and above constituted 18.27% of Taiwan's total population in 2023; hence, prioritizing high-quality healthcare for older adults becomes critical. Commercial symbol corpuses, such as Picture Communication Symbols (PCS) and Voice Symbols (VS), play a vital role in aiding older adults with expression and comprehension in Taiwan. Previous studies on iconicity and preference of symbol corpuses have primarily been conducted in Western and South Asian cultural communities. However, these findings may not apply to all Asian communities. Hence, studies investigating these aspects in specific communities are needed. Through quantitative nonexperimental observations, we explored the iconicity of and preference for PCS and VS among 30 healthy older adults in Taiwan.</p><p><p><b>Materials and Methods</b>.</p><p><p>A total of 12 practice words and test words each, familiar to the participants and socially and culturally validated, were selected for the developed VS-PCS iconicity and preference measurement. Verbal choices were made to select one line drawing in both measurements.</p><p><p><b>Results & Conclusions</b>.</p><p><p>The findings revealed that VS is significantly more transparent and preferred than PCS. Accounting for the iconicity of and preferences for symbol corpuses is pivotal for symbol selection.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142510446","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Carla Sousa, Paulina Tsvetkova, Patricia Pérez-Fuster, May Agius, Snezhana Kostova, Karolina Bolesta, Flávia Megda Garcia, Benjamin Nanchen, Alan H Tkaczyk
{"title":"Social Inclusion for People with Intellectual Disability and on the Autism Spectrum through Assistive Technologies: Current Needs and Future Priorities.","authors":"Carla Sousa, Paulina Tsvetkova, Patricia Pérez-Fuster, May Agius, Snezhana Kostova, Karolina Bolesta, Flávia Megda Garcia, Benjamin Nanchen, Alan H Tkaczyk","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2024.2414414","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2024.2414414","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>Contemporary technologies, such as mainstream and specialised Assistive Technologies (ATs), are seen as effective. However, there is a noticeable gap between technological progress and the ability to customise these technologies to meet the unique needs and characteristics of neurodivergent individuals, particularly those on the Autism Spectrum and people with Intellectual Disability (pwID).</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The goal of this study is to investigate the present requirements and future priorities acknowledged by specialists in the field regarding the progress of social inclusion for this population, making use of ATs.</p><p><strong>Methods and results: </strong>A qualitative survey involving 24 international experts, and its respective thematic analysis reveals challenges in social inclusion, emphasizing communication and physical accessibility, awareness gaps, and stigma. Concurrently, issues surrounding ATs include limited access, insufficient training, and a lack of awareness and skills, with individuals, and families being inadequately involved.</p><p><strong>Conclusion and implications: </strong>The study proposes strategies for overcoming these challenges, with a focus on accessibility, awareness, skills, family involvement, and customization. Identified research needs encompass scientific development, inclusive approaches, and changes in technological development paradigms.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142510447","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Application of human-centered design principles to wearable exoskeletons: a systematic review.","authors":"Emmanuel Assare-Mokwah, S Arunkumar","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2024.2415433","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2024.2415433","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Purpose of the article:</b> As technologies continue to advance, designing wearable exoskeletons that are comfortable, safe, reliable, and engaging for users is an arduous task. The integration of HCD principles in exoskeleton development significantly contributes to ensuring that the product meets the needs and preferences of users. This study systematically reviews the application of human-centred design (HCD) principles in the development of wearable exoskeletons.</p><p><p><b>Methodology:</b> It synthesizes existing literature, identifies key HCD concepts and assesses their impact on exoskeleton usability, comfort, and safety. The findings of the study revealed a moderate application of HCD in many of the studies; however, the concepts were found to play a crucial role in enhancing the usability, safety, and comfort of wearable exoskeleton technology implementation. Challenges revealed in the study include limited stakeholder involvement, a lack of standardized evaluation metrics, non-consideration of ethical, legal, and social issues, and a lack of studies on the potential adverse effects of exoskeleton use. Besides identifying the challenges faced in integrating HCD principles into exoskeleton development, the study also proposed pragmatic approaches to overcome them.</p><p><p><b>Results:</b> The study underscores the significance of incorporating human-centred design principles in the design and development of wearable exoskeletons. This has implications for industry, rehabilitation, health, and agriculture to churn out positive outcomes. The research contributes to the expanding literature on wearable exoskeletons and HCD, offering valuable insights into the advancement of this technology in various domains and suggesting areas for future studies to address identified gaps.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142510445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Carlos de Paz, Juan Antonio Huertas, Jorge Ibáñez-Gijón, Juan Andrés Martín-Gonzalo, Ana Belén Varas, David Travieso
{"title":"Enhancing navigation and obstacle avoidance with a vibrotactile device as secondary electronic travel aid.","authors":"Carlos de Paz, Juan Antonio Huertas, Jorge Ibáñez-Gijón, Juan Andrés Martín-Gonzalo, Ana Belén Varas, David Travieso","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2024.2417264","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2024.2417264","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>People with visual impairments commonly rely on the use of a white cane to navigate and avoid obstacles. Although this analog tool is highly reliable and easy to use, its drawback is the impossibility to anticipate obstacles beyond reach and routes, as well as obstacles above waist level. Electronic travel aids (ETAs) and sensory substitution devices (SSDs) are new technological solutions designed to enhance the tactile and/or auditory capabilities to access the information needed to overcome those drawbacks. In the present study, 25 individuals with visual impairments used the T-Sight, a vibrotactile SSD, and/or the white cane in a navigation task involving obstacle avoidance. While the performance achieved with the device, measured by the number of collisions and walking speed, did not surpass the white cane, the SSD did have a positive impact on ambulation. Participants reduced the number of white cane touches towards environmental obstacles and performed obstacle avoidance maneuvers earlier. These results demonstrate the potential of vibrotactile devices to address the limitations of the white cane.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142477776","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Occupational therapists' perspectives on welfare technologies for dementia: exploring recommendation frequencies - a pilot study.","authors":"Antonios Tsertsidis, Gideon Mbiydzenyuy","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2024.2412785","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2024.2412785","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Occupational therapists have long been recognized for their expertise in welfare technology use, particularly in the context of dementia care. Despite this advanced training, however, there is often a gap between their knowledge of available technologies and the frequency with which they recommend these tools to individuals with dementia.</p><p><strong>Aims/objectives: </strong>This study explores the perspectives of occupational therapists on the recommendations of welfare technologies for individuals with dementia.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A survey was created with the assistance of an expert group in a Swedish municipality. The survey consisted of 26 questions (demographics, background/workload, perceptions of welfare technologies, accessibility/information and knowledge on how and when to use, and initiation of contact and recommendation frequency) and was distributed to 60 occupational therapists within the selected municipality. We received a total of 29 responses. The responses were then analyzed qualitatively for meaningful insights across various themes. Using an encoding scheme, a statistical analysis of the responses was performed to uncover potential trends in the distribution of the responses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results indicate positive perceptions of welfare technologies by occupational therapists, but a low frequency of recommendations for individuals with dementia.</p><p><strong>Conclusions and significance: </strong>Based on the results, we find it important to advocate for more educational opportunities for occupational therapists regarding welfare technologies and improved organizational structures that promote their understanding and ultimately benefits of recommending welfare technologies to individuals with dementia.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142477778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yusuf İslam Değerli, Berkan Torpil, Emel Pekçetin, Serkan Pekçetin
{"title":"The effectiveness of 3d printing technology course on attitudes of occupational therapy students-a controlled study.","authors":"Yusuf İslam Değerli, Berkan Torpil, Emel Pekçetin, Serkan Pekçetin","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2024.2416069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2024.2416069","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>There is interest in three-dimensional (3D) printing technology, but views on the integration of these technologies into business and education vary. It is crucial to determine how the introduction of new technologies will impact the attitudes of occupational therapy undergraduate students. Hence, the purpose of this study is to examine the effect of using this technology in the assistive technology (AT) lesson on the attitudes and acceptance of technology among students. This study was designed as a non-randomized controlled pretest and posttest control group study. The intervention group consisted of second-year undergraduate students (<i>n</i> = 50) enrolled in a compulsory \"AT course,\" while the control group consisted of third-year undergraduate students (<i>n</i> = 41) who had completed the AT course in the previous academic year. The intervention involved participants attending a 3D printing course in combination with an 8-week AT course. A Modified Technology Acceptance Model (M-TAM) questionnaire was used to assess students' acceptance of 3D printing technology. The related study observed that experiencing and practicing new technologies, such as 3D printing and modeling course in the intervention group AT lesson effectively increased the acceptability of these new technologies that students encountered. The pre-post test analysis of the intervention group was statistically significant in all categories of the M-TAM questionnaire (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Compared to the control group, the effect size was small and moderate in all categories (<i>p</i> < 0.05). This course has increased student acceptance of this technology. Future studies should examine the long-term effects of such courses on student attitudes.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142477780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tenelle Hodson, Melissa Kendall, Soo Oh, Ella Stangherlin, Camila Shirota, Elizabeth Kendall
{"title":"Health professionals' experiences and implications of a technology-focused service within a rehabilitation setting.","authors":"Tenelle Hodson, Melissa Kendall, Soo Oh, Ella Stangherlin, Camila Shirota, Elizabeth Kendall","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2024.2414213","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2024.2414213","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Both demand and need for assistive technology (AT) are growing worldwide. However, ensuring an optimal fit between the person and AT is complex. With health professionals often being the \"gatekeeper\" to AT, it is imperative to understand their experiences of AT. This study was positioned within a sociotechnical space known as \"HabITec\", which aims to bring together potential AT users with health professionals and technology developers to enhance the technology-person fit. The current paper reports on health professionals' experiences of the HabITec Lab (THL), the physical manifestation of HabITec that was piloted in a tertiary hospital for 12-months.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The study used a qualitative descriptive approach to explore the experiences of nine health professionals who referred patients to the lab.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Four major themes were identified together with suggestions for the future of THL and HabITec. The themes focused on 1) Balancing service and independence; 2) Capitalising on possibilities and connections; 3) Negotiating multiple mismatches; and 4) Fitting it all together in a coherent service.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>It was clear that health professionals who referred patients to THL identified a range of benefits associated with it, but barriers to its effectiveness were identified and concerns were raised over health professionals becoming too reliant on the lab. For THL to be sustainably implemented, it appears that a policy-level shift is needed to enable its appropriate resourcing.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142477777","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Floor Puttemans, Ella Copermans, Petra Karlsson, Els Ortibus, Bernard Dan, Elegast Monbaliu, Saranda Bekteshi
{"title":"An intensive eye-tracking intervention in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy: a multiple case study.","authors":"Floor Puttemans, Ella Copermans, Petra Karlsson, Els Ortibus, Bernard Dan, Elegast Monbaliu, Saranda Bekteshi","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2024.2412073","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2024.2412073","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to explore the effects of a four-week intensive eye-tracking intervention on children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy (DCP), focusing on goal attainment, communication competencies, stress levels, subjective workload, and caregivers' perception of psychosocial impact. A multiple case study design with non-concurrent, staggered multiple baselines was employed, involving three children aged 7, 12, and 13 years. The study included a randomized baseline period of two or three weeks, an intensive eye-tracking intervention, and a six-month follow-up. Two individual eye-tracking goals were identified and assessed using the Goal Attainment Scale, while communication competencies were evaluated with the Augmentative and Alternative Communication Profile: A Continuum of Learning. Stress levels were monitored through Heart Rate Variability measured by the Bittium Faros 360° ECG Holter during eye-tracking tasks. Subjective workload and psychosocial impact were assessed using pictograms and the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale, respectively. Descriptive statistics were applied for analysis. All participants attained and retained their eye-tracking goals, regardless of their initial functional profiles or prior experience with eye-tracking technology. Post-intervention improvements in communication competencies were maintained at the six-month follow-up. Variations in stress levels, subjective workload, and psychosocial impact were observed among participants across different phases of the study, aiding the interpretation of the results. The study concludes that a structured, tailored, four-week intensive eye-tracking intervention can yield successful results in children with DCP, irrespective of their baseline communication abilities or functional profile. Recommendations for future research, including more robust methodologies and reliable computerized tests, are provided.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142477775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Promoting multistep requesting through systematic instruction and facilitated iPad-based intervention with children with intellectual disability.","authors":"Khalid M Abu-Alghayth","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2024.2413408","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2024.2413408","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A lack of multistep requesting among children with intellectual disability can be an indicator of complex communication and social challenges. This study aims to determine the effect of a systematic instruction (differential reinforcement, progressive time delay, and least-to-most prompting) using an iPad with the \"GoTalk Now\" app on the acquisition and maintenance of multistep requesting. Using a multiple-probe across-participants design, three children between the ages of nine and 10 diagnosed with intellectual disability participated in this study. The findings revealed that the intervention was effective in both the intervention and maintenance phases. In two participants, the change in performance occurred immediately, while in the other participant, it took more sessions to reach the acquisition criteria. Social validity data were obtained from participants' teachers. Implications and future directions are discussed according to the findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142477779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eva Yin-Han Chung, Kenneth Kuen-Fung Sin, Daniel Hung-Kay Chow
{"title":"Building and testing of a robotic intervention framework to enhancing the social engagement of children with autism spectrum disorder.","authors":"Eva Yin-Han Chung, Kenneth Kuen-Fung Sin, Daniel Hung-Kay Chow","doi":"10.1080/17483107.2024.2412076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2024.2412076","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Humanoid robot intervention programmes for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are being developed rapidly. This study aimed to develop and test a robotic intervention framework for children with ASD to ensure best practice.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In Phase I of this study, an initial framework was built based on a scoping review. This review aimed to identify the core elements conducive to effective robotic intervention programmes for children with ASD. In Phase II, the content of the initial framework was verified using a case study approach in a real-life setting.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The robotic intervention framework, which comprised three domains, was built and tested. The three domains were robot-, child-, and programme-related factors. Elements within each domain were identified and verified in real-life contexts.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The proposed framework will enhance evidence-based practice in robotic intervention programmes. However, further clinical testing is warranted to enhance the efficacy and validity of this framework. A good programme design incorporating all essential elements for effective intervention will ensure the success of the training programme for children with ASD.</p>","PeriodicalId":47806,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation-Assistive Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142394286","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}