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research article

Evaluating initial usability of a hand augmentation device across a large and diverse sample

Clode, Dani
•
Dowdall, Lucy
•
da Silva, Edmund
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May 29, 2024
Science Robotics

The advancement of motor augmentation and the broader domain of human-machine interaction rely on a seamless integration with users' physical and cognitive capabilities. These considerations may markedly fluctuate among individuals on the basis of their age, form, and abilities. There is a need to develop a standard for considering these diversity needs and preferences to guide technological development, and large-scale testing can provide us with evidence for such considerations. Public engagement events provide an important opportunity to build a bidirectional discourse with potential users for the codevelopment of inclusive and accessible technologies. We exhibited the Third Thumb, a hand augmentation device, at a public engagement event and tested participants from the general public, who are often not involved in such early technological development of wearable robotic technology. We focused on wearability (fit and control), ability to successfully operate the device, and ability levels across diversity factors relevant for physical technologies (gender, handedness, and age). Our inclusive design was successful in 99.3% of our diverse sample of 596 individuals tested (age range from 3 to 96 years). Ninety-eight percent of participants were further able to successfully manipulate objects using the extra thumb during the first minute of use, with no significant influences of gender, handedness, or affinity for hobbies involving the hands. Performance was generally poorer among younger children (aged <= 11 years). Although older and younger adults performed the task comparably, we identified age costs with the older adults. Our findings offer tangible demonstration of the initial usability of the Third Thumb for a broad demographic.

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Type
research article
DOI
10.1126/scirobotics.adk5183
Web of Science ID

WOS:001235959100003

Author(s)
Clode, Dani
Dowdall, Lucy
da Silva, Edmund
Selen, Klara
Cowie, Dorothy
Dominijanni, Giulia  
Makin, Tamar R.
Date Issued

2024-05-29

Publisher

Amer Assoc Advancement Science

Published in
Science Robotics
Volume

9

Issue

90

Article Number

eadk5183

Subjects

Technology

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
TNE  
FunderGrant Number

European Research Council

715022

Wellcome Trust

215575/Z/19/Z

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

EP/W004062/1

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Available on Infoscience
June 19, 2024
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/208698
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