User and clinician perspectives on DEKA Arm: Results of VA study tooptimize DEKA Arm

摘要

This article summarizes feedback from Departmentof Veterans Affairs (VA) subjects and clinicians gathered duringthe VA optimization study of the DEKA Arm. VA subjects andclinicians tested two DEKA Arm prototypes (secondgeneration[gen 2] and thirdgeneration [gen 3]). Features of the prototypesin three configurations are described. DEKA used feedback fromthe VA optimization study and from their own subjects to refinethe gen 2 prototype. Thirtythree unique subjects participated inthe VA evaluation; 26 participated in the gen 2 evaluation (1 subjectparticipated twice), 13 participated in the gen 3 evaluation,and 5 participated in both gen 2 and gen 3 evaluations. Subjectdata were gathered through structured and openended surveys,interviews, and audio and videotaped sessions. Study prosthetistsand therapists provided ongoing feedback and completedsurveys at the end of each subject’s protocol. Eleven categoriesof feedback were identified weight, cosmesis, hand grips, wristdesign, elbow design, endpoint control, foot controls, batteriesand chargers, visual notifications, tactor, and socket features.Final feedback on the gen 3 was generally positive, particularlyregarding improvements in wrist design, visual notifications,foot controls, endpoint control, and cosmesis. Additional refinementsto make the device lighter in weight, eliminate externalwires and cables, and eliminate the external battery may furtherenhance its perceived usability and acceptability