A Study on the Evaluation of Functionality and Effectiveness of Self-help Devices for the Disabled

Abstract

Self-help devices help workers who have physical disorders, including visual and auditory disorders, to perform their work efficiently. Many kinds of self-help devices have been developed, and they are improved upon in accordance with the disabilities of users. However, self-help devices are not evaluated in terms of both functionality and effectiveness. In this paper, a new method is proposed to evaluate the functionality and effectiveness of self-help devices for operations by taking into account tasks and physical functions. The method is applied to 273 self-help devices. It is made clear through the survey that an evaluation method is applicable and useful in selecting and also developing self-help devices.