Understanding stroke survivors' preferences regarding wearable sensor feedback on functional movement: a...

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Motor Control

Background:

• Wearable technology offers timely feedback for stroke rehabilitation.
• Stroke survivors' perspectives are crucial for developing effective feedback metrics.
• Limited research exists on stroke survivors' preferences for sensor-based feedback.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess stroke survivors' understanding and acceptance of wearable sensor feedback for arm/hand use and mobility.
• Identify preferred feedback metrics (mode, content, frequency, timing) to encourage behavior change.
• Explore survivors' views on actionable and meaningful feedback for lasting behavioral modification.

Main Methods:

• 30 chronic stroke survivors participated in a 1-week in-home monitoring study using a multi-sensor system.
• Collected data included arm movement, arm use ratio, step counts, and gait symmetry.
• Assessed feedback preferences through surveys and qualitative interviews post-monitoring.

Main Results:

• Sensor-derived feedback on arm/hand use and mobility was perceived as easy to understand and actionable.
• Hourly arm use and step count bar plots were the most preferred feedback metrics.
• Qualitative themes highlighted the importance of motivation, personalized goals, and clinician guidance.

Conclusions:

• Wearable sensor feedback is a viable tool for stroke rehabilitation, enhancing motor performance.
• Feedback should be tailored to individual goals and supported by clinicians for optimal outcomes.
• This technology can integrate engineering with personalized rehabilitation to improve life activities outside clinical settings.