Presentation
Impact of Instructional Training on Exoskeleton Users’ Performance, Self-Efficacy, and Strategies: A Pilot Study
SessionThursday Poster Session
DescriptionExoskeletons are assistive devices that enhance user abilities, but may require users to adapt their task strategies to use them effectively. Proper training may be critical to this process because it may guide strategy development. However, exoskeleton training studies have rarely evaluated whether training methods improve user performance. Therefore, an exploratory study investigated if training on how exoskeleton use may alter user physical capabilities would improve performance more than extended practice with exoskeleton-assisted tasks alone. Nine participants (5 with structured training and 4 without) completed an exoskeleton-assisted lifting task concurrently with a computerized flanker task before and after a 1-hour practice session. Task performance, exoskeleton self-efficacy, and self-reported strategies were measured to evaluate training effectiveness or identify potential strategies. Analyses revealed no significant performance improvements with practice or training; however, some notable trends were observed. Lifting and flanker task performance worsened with practice; however, participants who received training showed reduced lifting task performance declines, and increased self-efficacy compared to those without training. Additionally, both groups reported similar strategies and negative experiences with exoskeleton use. Future studies may want to examine if different instructional topics or feedback may be more effective for improving user exoskeleton-assisted task performance.
Event Type
Poster
TimeThursday, October 22nd5:30pm - 6:30pm PDT
Location