We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Functional and usability assessment of a robotic exoskeleton arm to support activities of daily life.
- Authors
Ambrosini, Emilia; Ferrante, Simona; Rossini, Mauro; Molteni, Franco; Gföhler, Margit; Reichenfelser, Werner; Duschau-Wicke, Alexander; Ferrigno, Giancarlo; Pedrocchi, Alessandra
- Abstract
An assistive device for upper limb support was developed and evaluated in terms of usability, user satisfaction and motor performance on six end-users affected by neuro-motor disorders (three spinal cord injury; one multiple sclerosis; two Friedreich's ataxia). The system consisted of a lightweight 3-degrees-of-freedom robotic exoskeleton arm for weight relief, equipped with electromagnetic brakes. Users could autonomously control the brakes using a USB-button or residual electromyogram activations. The system functionally supported all of the potential users in performing reaching and drinking tasks. For three of them, time, smoothness, straightness and repeatability were also comparable to healthy subjects. An overall high level of usability (system usability score, median value of 90/100) and user satisfaction (Tele-healthcare Satisfaction Questionnaire - Wearable Technology, median value of 104/120) were obtained for all subjects.
- Subjects
FUNCTIONAL analysis; USER-centered system design; ROBOTICS; ROBOTIC exoskeletons; DEGREES of freedom; MAGNETIC brakes
- Publication
Robotica, 2014, Vol 32, Issue 8, p1213
- ISSN
0263-5747
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1017/S0263574714001891