Digital Storytelling with Persons Living with Dementia: Elements of Facilitation, Communication, Building Relationships, and Using Technology.

Digital storytelling is a process that can be used to co-create multimedia stories with persons living with dementia to affirm identity, support person-centered care, and leave a legacy. Although digital storytelling typically involves a facilitator, little is known about the co-creation process between a facilitator and persons living with dementia. This study explored and described elements of digital storytelling facilitation with persons living with dementia using a secondary analysis of qualitative data from a primary study that took place across three Canadian cities. Three elements were identified during digital storytelling facilitation with persons living with dementia: communicating, building collaborative relationships, and using technology. Digital storytelling facilitators employ the three elements to weave together a person's narrative with meaning. The communication, relational, and technological elements of digital storytelling may be employed by facilitators from varying professional backgrounds and lived experiences to create meaningful digital stories for persons living with dementia.

Understanding the Technology Acceptance and Usability of a New Device for Hand Therapy: Qualitative Descriptive Study.

BACKGROUND: Upper extremity function plays a critical role in completing activities of daily living, employment, and participating in recreational activities. The FEPSim device is a medical device for hand and wrist rehabilitation that can be adjusted according to the patient's requirements in rehabilitation. Furthermore, the FEPSim can be used to assess the patient's strength and range of motion of the forearm, wrist, and hand. At present, the acceptance and usability of the FEPSim have not been tested in a clinical setting, with limited perspectives from rehabilitation-providing clinicians. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to understand the factors related to the acceptance and usability of the FEPSim device. Upper limb disorders are prevalent across populations. The impact of upper limb disorders, both acute and chronic, puts a significant burden on the Canadian health care system. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted that involved face-to-face semistructured interviews with hand therapists from hand therapy services who used the FEPSim device. We used purposive sampling to recruit 10 participants over a period of 14 months. Semistructured interview questions (topic-guided) examined the technology acceptance and usability of the FEPSim device. RESULTS: We found 6 factors to be critical aspects of the acceptance and usability of the FEPSim device. These factors were (1) useful for therapy, (2) effortlessness, (3) environmental conditions, (4) internal encouragement, (5) technological aesthetics, and (6) use. CONCLUSIONS: The FEPSim device was widely accepted by the therapists. The use of the FEPSim device is a feasible alternative for supporting hand therapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN13656014; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN13656014.

Will artificial intelligence be a blessing or concern in assistive robots for play? / A inteligência artificial será uma bênção ou preocupação em robôs assistivos para brincar?

The recent advances and popularity of artificial intelligence (AI) offer exciting possibilities to improve technology but they also raise concerns. In this paper, we use our research to present the potential benefits of using AI in assistive technology for children with disabilities to access play, and examine potential ethical concerns surrounding data required by AI algorithms. Since play is a key factor in child well-being and cognitive development, secondary disabilities may arise as a consequence of motor impairments. Assistive robots for augmentative manipulation can be instrumental in providing children with physical disabilities play opportunities, but we need to take a principled and user-centered approach to technical innovations.

Os avanços recentes e popularidade da Inteligência Artificial (IA) oferecem possibilidades animadoras para melhorar a tecnologia, mas, também, trazem preocupação. Neste artigo, usamos nossa pesquisa para apresentar os benefícios potenciais do uso da IA em tecnologia assistiva para crianças com deficiências brincarem e examinar possíveis preocupações éticas em torno dos dados exigidos pelos algoritmos de IA. Uma vez que o brincar é um fator chave no bem-estar infantil e no desenvolvimento cognitivo, as incapacidades secundárias podem surgir como consequência de deficiências motoras. Robôs assistivos para manipulação aumentativa podem ser fundamentais para proporcionar às crianças com deficiência física oportunidades de brincar, mas precisamos adotar uma abordagem baseada em princípios e centrada no usuário para inovações técnicas.

Playfulness in Children with Limited Motor Abilities When Using a Robot.

AIMS: Children with limited gross motor and manual abilities have fewer opportunities to engage in free play. We investigated the effect of a robotic intervention on the playfulness of children with cerebral palsy (CP). METHODS: We used a partially nonconcurrent multiple baseline design with four children and their mothers. Children were classified in level IV or V on the Gross Motor Function and Manual Ability Classification Systems. The intervention was the availability of an adapted Lego robot during a 15-min free play session between the child and mother. There were two sessions per week for about 14 weeks. Playfulness was measured using the Test of Playfulness. RESULTS: Statistical comparisons using the 2 SD band and X-moving range chart methods revealed that all the children's levels of playfulness increased significantly while they played with the robot. Comparison of baseline and follow-up phase indicated that three children had retention of improved level of playfulness. CONCLUSION: Play with adapted Lego robots increased the level of playfulness in all four children during free play with their mothers. The findings have implications for providing children with limitations in motor abilities opportunities for free play with family and friends.