Assistive Support for Mobility Limitations is an evolving research area targeting patients who are paralyzed, incapable of performing activities of daily living such as eating, drinking, bathing, going to the washroom etc. Advances in Robotics and AI technologies can help such patients improve their quality of life as well as relieve the load of caregivers. Having a constant AI support system improves their mental and physical well-being and health.
This book chapter talks about the nuanced interaction amid passive brain–computer interface (BCI) technologies and ambient assisted living, illuminating the enablement of paralyzed professionals. The ingenious contribution of AI in BCIs assists in deciphering intricate patterns within the data signals of the brain, which thereby translates to achieving more accurate control and interpretation of an individual’s intent.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780443334146000150
In this workshop, solutions focused on physical robotic caregiving for individuals experiencing significant disability and often relying on caregivers for activities of daily living such as eating, bathing, ambulating, and dressing were discussed. Such reliance on caregivers can negatively impact patients’ mental health and can place a considerable physical workload on caregivers. Assistive robotics can therefore aid in such applications.
https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.5555/3721488.3721829
The authors developed MAIA (Multifunctional, adaptive, and interactive AI system for Acting in multiple contexts), a human-centered AI aiming to allow end-users to control assistive devices naturally and efficiently by using continuous bidirectional exchanges among multiple sensorimotor information to enhance neurological recovery.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0266702
Public health issues related to mobility limitations refer to the unequal access to healthcare and resources that individuals with mobility impairments face. These Public health issues can be exacerbated by factors such as socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, gender, and geographic location. People with mobility limitations often experience poorer health outcomes due to lack of access to necessary medical care, assistive technologies, and rehabilitation services.
In this study to identify factors affect access to mobility assistive products, women, aged groups, unmarried groups, uneducated, unemployed, early or late disabled groups and financially challenged groups were found to suffer from unmet needs, and lack of usable products.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(24)00243-3/fulltext
Variability in income of different countries and their effect on mobility limitations, assistive devices access, mortality etc. was investigated in this study. It was found that the global prevalence of activity limitations was substantially higher in women than men and in low-income countries and middle-income countries compared with high-income countries, coupled with a much lower use of gait, visual, and hearing aids.
https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(24)01050-X/abstract
This review identified the common barriers to acquiring and using assistive technology for users with chronic conditions through a systematic meta-synthesis. Barriers such as the lack of customization to the end user needs, inappropriate devices for intented users, lack of user and therapist involvement in the design process, unsuitable for use in certain environments, compatibility of the assistive technology etc, were found.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17483107.2020.1788181
AI technologies can play a significant role in improving health outcomes for individuals with mobility limitations, addressing Public health issues, and making assistive devices more effective and accessible. By developing more personalized and affordable AI-powered assistive technologies, we can help mitigate the impact of Public health issues and provide better mobility solutions for marginalized communities.
To help in reducing the prevailing social inequality for people with disability, AI with its potential in recognition of images, sound, and expressions of linguistics has now opened wide opportunities as discussed in this paper. This can improve accessibility, affordability and utility for patients of all communities.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214785321052330
This research analyzes present and projected AI and HAR effects on healthcare by exploring main advancements and difficulties and developing patterns. AI systems developed for assistive technologies require assessment of both algorithmic bias and fairness because such factors must avoid specifically perpetuating health treatment issues.