Usability test for a cane-combined weight support feedback device.

BACKGROUND

Traditional canes have no special functions besides weight support, and their long-term use may cause secondary damage to the musculoskeletal system and gait deviation.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the usability of the cane-combined weight support feedback device (CWSFD) to identify areas requiring improvement and the current level of satisfaction.

METHODS

As a collet-type device, the CWSFD has a structure allowing attachment and detachment at the lower end of a traditional mono cane. To assess the level of satisfaction and areas of improvement regarding the novel CWSFD, a usability test was conducted on 10 physical therapists with ⩾ 20 years of clinical experience. The usability test comprised a satisfaction survey questionnaire to determine the level of satisfaction, and an in-depth interview to identify the points of improvement.

RESULTS

The usability test demonstrated a moderate or higher level of satisfaction in all tested items, and the in-depth interview revealed that the device should have a lower weight with a greater diversity of feedback.

CONCLUSIONS

We anticipate that by implementing the respective improvements, a novel device will be developed in the future; for its commercialization, studies to verify the clinical effectiveness are warranted.