JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies

The advent of telerehabilitation has created new opportunities for the care of patients with metabolic syndrome. In distant rehabilitation, technology acceptance is particularly important because home-based projects are based on digital devices, and many patients are less familiar with their use.

Approximately 70% of survivors of stroke have problems with arm function. Physiotherapists assess arm functional range of motion (ROM) using either a goniometer or functional questionnaires, which lack objective accuracy and require a skilled physiotherapist. We developed the Track-UL algorithm based on a markerless motion capture system to measure arm ROM.

Persisting symptoms affect about one-third of youth following concussion. Mental health history, distress, and coping style are key predictors of prolonged recovery. Early and scalable psychological interventions, such as mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) delivered via smartphones, may improve patients’ ability to regulate their emotions and neurophysiologically recover, reducing overall symptom burden. However, no digital therapeutic (DTx) trials in adolescents experiencing concussion exist.

Neurorehabilitation plays a key role in improving motor recovery for people with neurological conditions. Although 3D printing has emerged as a promising rehabilitation tool, little is known on how it is used for the rehabilitation of adults living with neurological conditions worldwide.

Stroke remains a primary cause of long-term disability worldwide, with upper-limb deficits affecting up to 80% of survivors acutely and 40% chronically. These deficits lead to considerable effects on their independence and overall quality of life. Conventional rehabilitation therapies are most effective when initiated shortly after a stroke, yet many patients face barriers to ongoing therapy post discharge. Recent advancements in low-cost rehabilitation systems, particularly those using virtual reality (VR) technologies, offer promising alternatives for enhancing upper-limb recovery.

Due to the high burden on health care, home-based rehabilitation (HBR) has gained increasing interest. A new HBR program for stroke survivors, containing a gaming app with upper-limb exercises, monitoring system, and virtual coach was being developed.

Peripheral facial nerve palsy is a debilitating condition that may necessitate surgical intervention. Although motor rehabilitation is considered essential, the most effective approach has not yet been determined.

Visuospatial neglect (VSN) is a cognitive disorder following a stroke, where individuals fail to perceive or respond to stimuli on the contralesional side of space. Visual scanning training (VST) is the recommended treatment in clinical guidelines.

Wearable devices enabling remote monitoring by surgeons of their patients have gained prominence around total joint arthroplasty (TJA), offering continuous patient data to identify those not meeting postoperative goals, thereby facilitating timely interventions. While multiple studies highlight the utility of these devices in tracking postoperative progress, a standardized approach to their application is lacking. This review aims to synthesize existing literature on the use of wearable device-tracked activity for monitoring TJA outcomes.

Mobile apps and biofeedback using motion analysis have both been used separately to increase compliance with exercise programs. We developed a mobile app, Osteoarthritis-Rehabilitation Assistant (O-RA), that uses motion analysis technology in the mobile app to assist older adults with performing a knee exercise program.

Technology-based interventions in the field of disability and rehabilitation, which serve assistive, therapeutic, and/or service delivery functions, are considered complex due to the skills required of providers and recipients, degree of individual tailoring, and diversity of use settings. Feasibility studies are an important step in the evolution of complex interventions that can help refine the intervention, inform implementation, and prevent wasted resources. However, guidance is lacking regarding specific considerations for feasibility studies of technology-based interventions in disability and rehabilitation, which leaves researchers and developers reliant on resources from other fields that do not address important technology properties. To advance the field, context-specific definitions, considerations, and evaluation dimensions must be explicitly outlined to ensure that feasibility studies are constructively designed to meet the unique needs of these interventions. In this viewpoint article, we (1) propose a definition and framework for feasibility studies within the specific context of technology-based disability and rehabilitation interventions, (2) highlight important and unique imperatives for feasibility studies of these interventions, and (3) articulate relevant feasibility dimensions and associated evaluation criteria for these interventions. Building on previous work, we distinguish between feasibility studies, wherein we focus on iterative intervention refinement by addressing key development questions (eg, usability), and pilot studies, which are small-scale versions of a larger study that will evaluate intervention outcomes. Integrating previous typologies, we present 13 feasibility dimensions relevant to technology-based interventions and provide sample evaluation criteria, focusing on the intervention itself rather than study design considerations (eg, trial management). This information may be useful for research and development communities (academic, clinical, or industry) to inform comprehensive feasibility studies that examine unique aspects of technology-based interventions to promote real-world impact. This contribution encourages greater harmonization of terminology and evaluation methods to streamline interpretation and comparison across studies.

Stairclimbing wheelchairs offer enhanced mobility for users navigating multilevel environments, yet limited research addresses the ergonomics of lever propulsion-based stair climbing mechanisms. Comprehensive ergonomic assessment integrating both subjective user feedback and objective biomechanical analysis is essential for optimizing assistive device design for comfort and usability.