Social impact of the JACO wheelchair-mounted robotic arm on users and their caregivers.

Purpose: The efficacious implementation of robotic assistive technologies must be built on a thorough understanding of the experiences and perceptions of all concerned interest groups, particularly those of users and their caregivers. This study provides an in-depth insight into the experiences and perceptions of users of the JACO wheelchair-mounted robotic arm and those of their caregivers.

Methods: Users of JACO ( = 21; Female: 6; Male: 15) and caregivers ( = 11; Female: 9; Male: 2) participated in individual interviews used to gain qualitative insight into the impact of JACO on their day-to-day lives.

Physical impairments in individuals with Long COVID.

Objective: The primary objective was to compare the physical capacities of individuals with Long COVID [Long COVID group (LCG)] to those who had COVID-19 but did not develop persistent symptoms [short COVID group (SCG)], and to individuals without a history of COVID-19 [control group (CG)]. The secondary objectives were to provide a comprehensive profile of sociodemographic and COVID-19 history of individuals with Long COVID, considering factors such as sex, gender, hospitalization, time since onset, and comorbidities, and b) identify self-reported and objective clinical measures explaining health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in individuals with Long COVID.

Methods: A total of 120 adults were included in each of the groups.

Exploring the Link Between Motor Functions and the Relative Use of the More Affected Arm in Adults with Cerebral Palsy.

Unlabelled: Individuals with hemiparetic cerebral palsy (CP) exhibit reduced use of their more affected (MA) arm, yet the factors that influence its use during activities of daily living remain elusive. The objectives of this study were to describe the relative use of the MA arm during an ecological task, examine its relationship with the level of impairment, and investigate its association with performance in various unilateral and bilateral tasks.

Methods: Participants took part in two sessions comprising robotic assessments and clinical assessments of motor functions, as well as accelerometry measurement during kitchen tasks.

Preliminary development and evaluation of a mechanical handwriting assistive device to support individuals with movement disorders.

Individuals with movement disorders often face challenges in writing independently due to factors such as spasticity, lack of precise motor control, muscle weakness, and tremors. This paper aims to develop a handwriting assistive device (HAD) for individuals with movement disorders, to stabilize the motion of user's hand, through initial needs assessment, iterative design, and a preliminary evaluation. The research is scoped to include only initial testing with a small user group, six potential users with movement disorders, providing foundational insights for future refinement.

Development of a Real-Time Wearable Humming Detector Device.

This study focuses on the development of a wearable real-time Humming Detector Device (HDD) aimed at enhancing the control of assistive devices through humming. As the need for portable user-friendly tools in assistive technology grows, the HDD offers a non-invasive solution to detect vocal cord vibrations. Vibrations, detected thanks to an accelerometer worn on the neck, are processed in real time using a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to identify specific humming frequencies, which are then translated into commands for controlling assistive devices via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transmission.