RETHINK
RETHINK marks an innovative turning point: instead of incremental optimization, it critically questions the entire assistive technology solution to reimagine both technical and care concepts.
Factsheet
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Schools involved
School of Health Professions
School of Engineering and Computer Science -
Institute(s)
Institute for Human Centered Engineering (HUCE)
Physiotherapy - Research unit(s) HUCE / Laboratory for Robotics
- Strategic thematic field Thematic field "Humane Digital Transformation"
- Funding organisation BFH
- Duration (planned) 01.12.2025 - 31.12.2026
- Head of project Prof. Dr. Anja Raab
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Project staff
Prof. Dr. Katharina Blankart
Prof. Dr. Gabriel Gruener
Prof. Dr. Raphael Rätz
Julian Frederik Rösch - Keywords Spinal Cord Injury, Assistive Technology, Human Digital Transformation
Situation
Since 2023, healthcare professionals from the Department of Health at BFH and engineers from the Department of Engineering & Computer Science have been co-developing a practical robotic arm together with end-users, following a user-centered design approach. The initial focus has been on individuals with tetraplegia. Early prototypes have been successfully tested at the Cybathlon and in home environments. Now is the right time for a conceptual reset: based on previous findings, we aim to reassess needs, use scenarios, and technical solutions. The goal is to expand the solution to other groups with upper limb impairments, capture diverse requirements, and identify relevant interfaces—laying the foundation for an inclusive, adaptable assistive technology.
Course of action
We follow the Double Diamond model of Design Thinking. The Discover phase has already been completed and analyzed through ten home-based application tests. In the upcoming Define phase, we will reflect on these insights in an interdisciplinary, creative ideation workshop with users, relatives, professionals, and developers. The goal is to challenge core assumptions and formulate new concepts. Additionally, we will apply horizon scanning to identify technological and health-economic trends as well as financing models for robotic assistive systems at an early stage. The results will feed into an expert workshop where initial health-economic questions will be discussed.
Result
The project delivers user-centered technical and health-related concepts for an inclusive assistive technology in home environments. It generates practical insights into participatory development, the integration of robotic systems into the daily lives of people with upper limb impairments, and health-economic considerations.
