Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2018 Nov 8;7(11):e10451.
doi: 10.2196/10451.

Evaluating the Use of Smart Home Technology by People With Brain Impairment: Protocol for a Single-Case Experimental Design

Affiliations

Evaluating the Use of Smart Home Technology by People With Brain Impairment: Protocol for a Single-Case Experimental Design

Rebecca Jamwal et al. JMIR Res Protoc. .

Abstract

Background: Smart home technologies are emerging as a useful component of support delivery for people with brain impairment. To promote their successful uptake and sustained use, focus on technology support services, including training, is required.

Objective: The objective of this paper is to present a systematic smart home technology training approach for people with brain impairment. In addition, the paper outlines a multiple-baseline, single-case experimental design methodology to evaluate training effectiveness.

Methods: Adult participants experiencing acquired brain impairment who can provide consent to participate and who live in housing where smart home technology is available will be recruited. Target behaviors will be identified in consultation with each participant based on his or her personal goals for technology use. Target behaviors may include participant knowledge of the number and type of technology functions available, frequency of smart home technology use, and number of function types used. Usage data will be gathered via log-on smart home technology servers. A smart technology digital training package will also be developed and left on a nominated device (smartphone, tablet) with each participant to use during the trial and posttrial, as desired. Measures of the target behavior will be taken throughout the baseline, intervention, and postintervention phases to provide the evidence of impact of the training on the target behaviors and ascertain whether utilization rates are sustained over time. In addition, trial results will be analyzed using structured visual analysis, supplemented with statistical analysis appropriate to single-case methodology.

Results: While ascertaining the effectiveness of this training protocol, study results will offer new insights into technology-related training approaches for people with brain impairment. Preliminary data collection has been commenced at one supported housing site, with further scoping work continuing to recruit participants from additional sites.

Conclusions: Evaluation evidence will assist in planning for the smart technology set-up as well as training and support services necessary to accompany the provision of new devices and systems.

International registered report identifier (irrid): RR1-10.2196/10451.

Keywords: assistive technology; clinical research protocol; disabled persons; housing; mobile phone.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Intervention phases; gray cell denotes the active intervention phase.

References

    1. Steel EJ, Buchanan R, Layton N, Wilson E. Currency and Competence of Occupational Therapists and Consumers with Rapidly Changing Technology. Occup Ther Int. 2017:1–5. doi: 10.1155/2017/5612843. http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/29097973 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. National Disability Insurance Agency Assistive Technology Strategy. 2015. Oct, [2016-02-01]. https://www.ndis.gov.au/html/sites/default/files/AT-Paper_0.pdf .
    1. Mirza M, Hammel J. Consumer-Directed Goal Planning in the Delivery of Assistive Technology Services for People who are Ageing with Intellectual Disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. 2009;22:445–57. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-3148.2009.00495.x. - DOI
    1. Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America RESNA Policy Position Statement. 2015. Dec, [2017-10-24]. https://www.resna.org/knowledge-center/government-relations/resna-policy... .
    1. Jamwal R, Callaway L, Ackerl J, Farnworth L, Winkler D. Electronic assistive technology used by people with acquired brain injury in shared supported accommodation: Implications for occupational therapy. British Journal of Occupational Therapy. 2017 Feb 01;80(2):89–98. doi: 10.1177/0308022616678634. - DOI

LinkOut - more resources