Characteristics of the most viewed Hybrid Assistive Limb-related videos on YouTube

Abstract

Objectives. YouTube is one of the most popular video-sharing tools and is used as a forum for sharing information about experiences with new technology-based exercise programs, such as the wearable cyborg Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL). This study aimed to analyze the content and quality of HAL-related videos viewed by people to clarify the content required by YouTube viewers. Methods. We searched HAL-related YouTube videos and selected the top 100 most viewed videos. The number of views, video length, upload date, content, and uploaders of each video were recorded. In addition, DISCERN was used to evaluate the quality of videos. Results. Of the 100 videos, the most shared content was the training videos on HAL ( n = 58). The videos uploaded by YouTubers had a significantly higher number of views than those uploaded by other uploaders (hospital, company, and municipality) ( p < .001). Furthermore, they had significantly higher DISCERN Questions 16 scores, which serve as the basis for the overall evaluation of the publication’s overall quality ( p < .001). Conclusion. HAL-related videos on YouTube, featuring the experiences and feedback of YouTubers who are HAL users, are favored more by viewers than by service providers.