Usability Perception and Acceptance of a Dressing Assistance Device for Infants with Cognitive Disabilities

The use of assistive devices as support tools in occupational therapy for infants with cognitive disabilities is a priority for the World Health Organization (WHO). This article presents a usability and acceptance evaluation of the Interactive Dressing Assistance Device for Occupational Therapy (DAITOV) with 10 preschool-aged infants with cognitive disabilities and specialized tutors from a healthcare institution. For the evaluation, the infants were divided into two groups and tasked with dressing a character, with tactile feedback provided in one of the conditions. Preliminary results indicate no significant differences between experimental conditions, with the best outcomes observed in infants diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down syndrome. Additionally, the tutors' perception of usability and acceptance was positive in satisfaction, usefulness, and safety. Finally, the results generated design recommendations to improve the current state of the DAITOV device in the dimensions of ease of use, learnability, usefulness, satisfaction, safety, memorability, and attractiveness.