Assistive Technology: aNewApproach toEvaluation
Michela Aquilano, Claudia Salatino, MariaChiara Carrozza · 2007
Thisarticle presents a novelapproach to validate Assistive Technology Devices (ATDs). Inorderto avoiddiscontinuance and,toprovide feedback ondesign criteria, itisfundamental toevaluate theperformance of thesesystemsand to obtainindications on users acceptability. An assessment protocol addressed a setof elements related tousability, utility, aesthetics, impact on daily habits, obtrusiveness, safety, portability andcomfort. Furthermore theprotocol aimsatdetermining objective and quantitative parameters thatrepresent information directly traceable by meansofnumerical values. An overall acceptability level canbeobtained bythose parameters that makepossible asimple andeffective quantitative analysis andtradeoffamongdifferent devices designed tofulfill the samefunctionality. Theproposed approach havebeentested to evaluate two systems, namedSelFeed and Dedalo, developed attheARTSLabofScuola Superiore Sant'Anna ofPisatoassist disabled people infeeding. Itturned outthat theevaluation methodology wasuseful topointoutthe weaknesses ofthesystems, thusleading inanatural waytoa controlled iterative design cycle. I.INTRODUCTION