Design factors and preferences in wearable soft robots for movement disabilities

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand different preferences and important design factors for wearable soft robots (WSR) and understand how these differences affect people’s perception, attitude and behavioral intentions toward using the WSR. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey was conducted to purposely sampled participants who are adults aged over 18 of both genders with movement disabilities living in the USA. The collected data were analyzed through Welch’s t-test, Welch’s analysis of variance and linear- and multi-regressions for quantitative data and major theme extractions for qualitative data. Findings: The results identified preferred functions and designs and important design factors for WSR and how these influence to users’ perception, attitude and behaviors on WSR. Originality/value: The number of people with movement disabilities is anticipated to increase worldwide and it is essential to understand users for developing wearable movement aids for people with movement disabilities. However, there is no research on what functions and designs are preferred by WSR users and what aspects designers need to consider when developing these WSR. Thus, this research will contribute to the body of knowledge in WSR design; help WSR developers, designers and researchers better incorporate users’ preferences in the design process; and ultimately enhance the quality of life of people who have movement disabilities.