Task-specific assessment of robot effectiveness: enhancing the independence of quadriplegics in the workplace

The authors report on a year-long case study of a vocational desktop robot used in the service of a C-4,5 quadriplegic programmer. The effectiveness of the robot in replacing a human attendant has been analyzed by the robot enhancement factor (REF) metric. The REF categorizes, by task, the influence of a robot on the independence level of a physically disabled person. The analysis of daily activities with a robot and with an attendant serves to illustrate which tasks are robot-appropriate and cost-effective. The study shows which parts of a person´s daily routine can be done independently by a physically disabled person. Generalizing, the REF is a means to categorize and quantify the effect of any technology designed to reduce attendant care.<>