Development and evaluation of a flexible interface for a wheelchair mounted robotic arm

Accessibility is a challenge for people with disabilities. Differences in cognitive ability, sensory impairments, motor dexterity, behavioral skills, and social skills must be taken into account when designing interfaces for assistive devices. Flexible interfaces tuned for individuals, instead of custom-built solutions, may benefit a larger number of people. The development and evaluation of a flexible interface for controlling a wheelchair mounted robotic arm is described in this paper. There are four versions of the interface based on input device (touch screen or joystick) and a moving or stationary shoulder camera. We describe results from an eight week experiment conducted with representative end users who range in physical and cognitive ability.