Tangible Interaction for Stroke Survivors

Abstract

In this paper we outline the initial stages of a human centered design process aimed at the design of novel technology (tangible interactive objects) for stroke survivors. We found it useful to support standard methods, such as interviews and focus groups, with a video prototype in order to make the concept of tangible interaction, which was novel to our users, more clear. In addition we carried out a co-design workshop together with stroke survivors. Based on these activities, we present a set of preliminary design guidelines for tangible interaction for stroke survivors.

Designing Motivating Interactive Balance and Walking Training for Stroke Survivors

“…Looking more at the audio-haptic interaction design of the app, a challenge in the mini games has been to reflect the effects of gesture interaction in audio. While this could potentially have been done with musical mappings, we had design requirements pointing to a need for simplicity [18]. Thus we tried to keep our feedback simple and have limited it to distance mappings combined with success and failure information.…”

“…Initial explorative user studies were performed in both the ActivAbles and the STARR projects. Studies in the ActivABLES project [18], made use of a video prototype to illustrate unfamiliar technology to participants. The requirements obtained were refined, extended and elaborated in the STARR project where the initial user studies involved 116 stroke survivors [19] as well as health care professionals and carers.…”

“…In [18] we also investigated which activities our designs should target. We found that activities involving balancing, standing up/sitting down, walking and activating the less good side of the body would allow us to reach a wide range of stroke survivors.…”

Walk after stroke

“…These initial user studies generated a set of design guidelines for the work in the project. A sub-set of the interviews were done in collaboration with the project STARR, and are published in [9]. To get information on how existing activity bracelets worked for stroke survivors, we followed up on the initial work with a study of commercial bracelets involving 10 stroke survivors (6 men, 4 women), ages: 61-79.…”

Interactive Balance and Walking Training for Stroke Survivors

“…The present paper presents a system of interactive prototypes designed to support the continuation of balance rehabilitation at home, and report on results from a feasibility study. The user studies leading up to the current designs are described in [11] and [12].…”