The role of human experience when making sense of brain monitoring: an interdisciplinary case study to assess wearable, non-invasive, brain-monitoring devices for rehabilitation

ABSTRACT

Wearable, non-invasive, brain-monitoring technologies could take research outside the laboratory, to make discoveries about the human brain in different, and sometimes more relevant, settings for the specific research. While this could lead to new scientific discoveries, there is a need to understand how individuals benefit from and make sense of interactions with such technology. This study considered patient experiences with wearable, non-invasive, brain-monitoring devices in a rehabilitation context. The research project Patient-Centric Engineering in Rehabilitation (PACER) provided examples from research practice to assess and discuss the potential for using such devices in patient-centric rehabilitation for lower limb amputees. Project findings suggest that concepts from technology mediation theory strengthen the discussion by describing how relations with the technology differ, depending on whether you are a health professional, researcher or patient, which is an essential understanding when assessing novel technologies for practical applications.

KEYWORDS:

• Postphenomenology
• rehabilitation
• human-centred design
• brain–computer interface
• technological mediations
• social implications

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the support of all the participants in the PACER project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Research Council of Norway [Project number 273599].

Notes on contributors

Martha Risnes

Martha Risnes is a PhD candidate in the Health Science program at Oslo Metropolitan University. She has an educational background in engineering and design. Martha's research interests include design perspectives on emerging technologies for health purposes.

Olga Korostynska

Olga Korostynska is current a Prof. In BioMedical Engineering in Oslo Metropolitan University in Oslo, Norway. She has a BEng and MSc in Biomedical Engineering and PhD in Electronics and Computer Engineering from the University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland for developing a personal gamma-radiation sensor using thin/thick film technologies. Previously she was a Senior Lecturer in Advanced Sensor Technologies at the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK. Before that she was a postdoctoral researcher working on a number of projects, including funded by IRCSET, EI, EU FP7 and H2020. She has published a book, several book chapters, 4 patents and over 200 papers in both peer-reviewed journals and conferences.

Peyman Mirtaheri

Peyman Mirtaheri received Cand. Scient. and Dr.Scient. degrees in physics and electronic engineering from the University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway in 2006, and the Dr. Scient. Degree with the thesis on a novel biomedical sensor for early detection of organ ischemia from the same the institution in 2005. He is currently a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the Faculty of Technology, Art and Design, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, OsloMetropolitan University, Oslo. His current research interests include functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), Optical Sensors, Diagnostic Instrumentation and Monitoring Devices applied in medicine.

Arild Berg

Arild Berg is Associate Professor with Doctor of Art in Artistic research in Public Space, and he has a MA in Ceramic Art. He is a member of the research groups Design, Culture and Sustainability, Art in Society and the Collaborative Action Research Network (CARN). His principal work focuses on research collaboration between professional practitioners to contribute to studies of cross disciplinary innovation. He has been Head of studies for the Bachelor Program in Product Design. He has been Vice Dean of Research at the Faculty for Technology, Art and Design and was project leader in establishing the interdisciplinary PhD Program ‘Engineering Science’.