Social Robots, Brain Machine Interfaces and Neuro/Cognitive Enhancers: Three Emerging Science and Technology Products through the Lens of Technology Acceptance Theories, Models and Frameworks

Modeling the acceptability of BCIs for motor rehabilitation after stroke: A large scale study on the general public

Introduction

Strokes leave around 40% of survivors dependent in their activities of daily living, notably due to severe motor disabilities. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have been shown to be efficiency for improving motor recovery after stroke, but this efficiency is still far from the level required to achieve the clinical breakthrough expected by both clinicians and patients. While technical levers of improvement have been identified (e.g., sensors and signal processing), fully optimized BCIs are pointless if patients and clinicians cannot or do not want to use them. We hypothesize that improving BCI acceptability will reduce patients' anxiety levels, while increasing their motivation and engagement in the procedure, thereby favoring learning, ultimately, and motor recovery. In other terms, acceptability could be used as a lever to improve BCI efficiency. Yet, studies on BCI based on acceptability/acceptance literature are missing. Thus, our goal was to model BCI acceptability in the context of motor rehabilitation after stroke, and to identify its determinants.

Methods

The main outcomes of this paper are the following: i) we designed the first model of acceptability of BCIs for motor rehabilitation after stroke, ii) we created a questionnaire to assess acceptability based on that model and distributed it on a sample representative of the general public in France (N = 753, this high response rate strengthens the reliability of our results), iii) we validated the structure of this model and iv) quantified the impact of the different factors on this population.

Results

Results show that BCIs are associated with high levels of acceptability in the context of motor rehabilitation after stroke and that the intention to use them in that context is mainly driven by the perceived usefulness of the system. In addition, providing people with clear information regarding BCI functioning and scientific relevance had a positive influence on acceptability factors and behavioral intention.

Discussion

With this paper we propose a basis (model) and a methodology that could be adapted in the future in order to study and compare the results obtained with: i) different stakeholders, i.e., patients and caregivers; ii) different populations of different cultures around the world; and iii) different targets, i.e., other clinical and non-clinical BCI applications.

Utility of science, technology and innovation governance for occupational discourses from the perspective of occupational therapy students

BACKGROUND

Science, technology and innovation (STI) governance concerns itself with the societal impact of STI. Occupation, whether used with the meaning of paid, unpaid work or any activity that is considered meaningful to the individual on an everyday basis, is one area of societal impact of STI. Fields such as occupational therapy, occupational science and occupational health and safety concern themselves with the relationship between occupation and the health and well-being of human beings albeit all with different foci.

OBJECTIVE

To ascertain the knowledge of students from two Occupational Therapy programs on STI governance, specific STI products and their views on the impact of STI governance and STI products on occupational therapy and its clients.

METHODS

Online survey employing Yes/No' questions with comment boxes and open-ended textbox questions. Descriptive quantitative and thematic qualitative data was generated.

RESULTS

Students were unfamiliar with STI governance discourses but felt that they should be aware of them. Students stated that how one governs STI impacts occupational therapy on all levels and that the occupational therapy community has expertise that would enrich STI governance discourses around occupation.

CONCLUSION

Education actions seem to be warranted on the level of students and practitioners by the occupational therapy and STI governance communities.

Home care technology through an ability expectation lens

Home care is on the rise, and its delivery is increasingly reliant on an expanding variety of health technologies ranging from computers to telephone "health apps" to social robots. These technologies are most often predicated on expectations that people in their homes (1) can actively interact with these technologies and (2) are willing to submit to the action of the technology in their home. Our purpose is to use an "ability expectations" lens to bring together, and provide some synthesis of, the types of utility and disadvantages that can arise for people with disabilities in relation to home care technology development and use. We searched the academic databases Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO ALL, IEEE Xplore, and Compendex to collect articles that had the term "home care technology" in the abstract or as a topic (in the case of Web of Science). We also used our background knowledge and related academic literature pertaining to self-diagnosis, health monitoring, companionship, health information gathering, and care. We examined background articles and articles collected through our home care technology search in terms of ability expectations assumed in the presentation of home care technologies, or discussed in relation to home care technologies. While advances in health care support are made possible through emerging technologies, we urge critical examination of such technologies in terms of implications for the rights and dignity of people with diverse abilities. Specifically, we see potential for technologies to result in new forms of exclusion and powerlessness. Ableism influences choices made by funders, policy makers, and the public in the development and use of home health technologies and impacts how people with disabilities are served and how useful health support technologies will be for them. We urge continued critical examination of technology development and use according to ability expectations, and we recommend increasing incorporation of participatory design processes to counteract potential for health support technology to render people with disabilities technologically excluded and powerless.

Cognitive Enhancement: Perceptions Among Parents of Children with Disabilities

Cognitive enhancement is an increasingly discussed topic and policy suggestions have been put forward. We present here empirical data of views of parents of children with and without cognitive disabilities. Analysis of the interviews revealed six primary overarching themes: meanings of health and treatment; the role of medicine; harm; the ‘good’ parent; normality and self-perception; and ability. Interestingly none of the parents used the term ethics and only one parent used the term moral twice.