Table 4 Identified user needs and suggested design solutions

Functional

Patient

∙ Difficulty in wearing gloves on fingers

∙ Uncomfortable when worn for a long time

∙ Hand stiffness is worse on waking up/in low temperature

∙ Difficulty understanding how to use assistive devices

∙ Rehabilitation treatment only possible with the help of experts

∙ Ease of donning/doffing

∙ Comfortable to wear

∙ Ease of movement

∙ Warmth/heating function

∙ Ease of operation

∙ Available home care

∙ Opening of palm part

∙ Fastening position of the hand on the contralateral side of the hemiplegia

∙ Ease between each finger

∙ Elastic material for joints

∙ On/off driving method

∙ Using Joule heat

∙ Insulation

∙ Slow actuation speed

∙ Wrist size adjustable

∙ Double neoprene material for wrist area

Physical therapist

∙ Muscle contraction before rehabilitation

∙ Speed of rehabilitation exercise

∙ Nerve compression when wearing an assistive device

∙ Wrist drop

∙ Heating function

∙ Adjustable actuating speed

∙ Safety for users

Expressive

Patient

∙ Appearing disabled when wearing assistive devices

∙ Confidence

∙ Activity

∙ Fabric-type actuating unit

∙ Hidden driving part

∙ Glove-type

Physical therapist

∙ Reluctance to use new rehabilitation equipment

∙ Familiarity

Aesthetic

Patient

∙ Inconvenient design

∙ Standing out design

∙ Soft touch and light materials

∙ Minimization of details

∙ Inconspicuous color

∙ Elastic material for joint area

∙ Achromatic color

∙ Hidden driving parts and wires

Physical therapist

∙ Machine-like design

∙ Minimization of exposure to driving parts