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.