Datalogger Development for Wheelchair Mobility Outcomes: Focus Group

Principal Investigator: Dan Ding, PhD

Co-Investigator(s): Rory Cooper, Ph.D.; Rosemarie Cooper, MPT; Annmarie Kelleher, MS, OTR/L; Shirley Fitzgerald, Ph.D.; Songfeng Guo, Ph.D.; Elizabeth Traynor, BS

Objectives

The purpose of this project is to verify the usability of both manual and power wheelchair dataloggers developed at the Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) through a focus group evaluation.

Research Design

We will recruit up to 16 wheelchair seating and mobility clinicians and rehabilitation technology suppliers for this study. Focus group participants will first receive a package including the datalogger, battery, accessories, and a manual. Following the manual, participants will be asked to complete the entire procedure of data collection using a datalogger. Participants will then be asked to complete a questionnaire assessing their evaluation of design criteria including the ease of set up, disassembly, data collection, data downloading, and use of features. After completing the questionnaire, focus group participants will then be asked to participate in open discussion about the questions. Subjects will be recorded throughout the discussion so that it can later be transcribed for data analysis.

Methodology

The wheelchair dataloggers are self-contained, portable, and battery powered devices that can be used for collecting activity data including wheelchair traveling distances and speeds as outcome measures. They can be used to objectively qualify levels of physical activities for wheelchair users, detect incremental changes as a result of intervention, and evaluate the attainment of physical activity recommendation for wheelchair users.  The design criteria include self-contained design, durable power supply, easier installation and disassembly, reliable performance, and friendly user interface. It is anticipated that the datalogger will be easy to use from the initial setup to data collection and result interpretation.

Clinical Relevance

Independent mobility is a key contributor to the quality of life and social participation of an individual with a physical disability. With decreased mobility, there is usually an associated increased risk of social isolation, unemployment, and other health problems such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and pressure ulcers. Dataloggers can contribute to a more effective wheelchair assessment service, a quality service at nursing homes, or to the justification for funding wheelchairs or related equipment.