Protocol for a multi-perspective exploration of technology requirements for home-based upper-limb tabletop functional...

Area of Science:

• Neurorehabilitation
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Stroke Recovery

Background:

• Upper-limb impairment after stroke significantly impacts daily living independence.
• Current functional task-oriented training (FTOT) methods, both conventional and technology-assisted, have limitations in consistency, supervision, progression, and continuity.
• There is a need to understand current clinical practices and user needs to develop better rehabilitation technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize current clinical practices in upper-limb tabletop FTOT.
• To identify the needs, constraints, and support requirements of stroke survivor-caregiver dyads.
• To inform the development of user-centered technology for neurorehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• A multi-phase mixed-methods design combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews.
• Phase A: Online survey of therapists (n≥100) followed by virtual interviews (n≈10-20).
• Phase B: Semi-structured interviews with stroke survivor-caregiver dyads (n=15).

Main Results:

• Quantitative analysis of therapist practices regarding task selection, dose, and progression.
• Qualitative analysis of therapist decision-making and dyadic experiences with FTOT.
• Mixed-methods integration to synthesize findings from both quantitative and qualitative data.

Conclusions:

• Characterizing current FTOT practices and understanding user needs are crucial for advancing neurorehabilitation.
• The findings will directly inform the design of new technologies to improve upper-limb recovery post-stroke.
• User-centered technology development can enhance the consistency, supervision, and continuity of rehabilitation.