Questionnaire results of user experiences with wearable exoskeletons and their preferences for sensory feedback.
Heidi Muijzer-Witteveen, Nienke Sibum, Rosanne van Dijsseldonk and 2 others
PMID 30470238WHAT IT FOUND
Five of 10 people with spinal cord injury who used a wearable exoskeleton preferred vibrotactile feedback, and step initiation and weight shift feedback were rated helpful by more than half.
Seven preferred discrete feedback. These are user preferences, not tested effects.
Key findings
01Five of 10 respondents preferred vibrotactile feedback, four preferred auditory feedback, and one preferred visual feedback.
02Three feedback parameters were rated helpful by more than half of respondents: step initiation, mediolateral weight shift, and anteroposterior weight shift.
03Nine of 10 respondents said they benefited from exoskeleton sounds during training, and seven of 10 preferred discrete feedback over continuous feedback.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 10 of 14 invited subjects completed the questionnaire. All respondents had used the ReWalk exoskeleton, so preferences may not apply to other exoskeletons. Feedback options were described on paper and not experienced or tested. Responses were diverse, and no single stimulation method, feedback parameter, or feedback timing was preferred by all. The questionnaire was written by the investigators with two therapists, not reported as a validated instrument.
Declared interests
The supplied text lists funding from FP7 Information and Communication Technologies. It does not list other conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that vibrotactile feedback will improve walking. The paper asked users to rate described feedback options, not tested ones, and preferences varied among a small group of ReWalk users.