Social impact of the JACO wheelchair-mounted robotic arm on users and their caregivers

The efficacious implementation of robotic assistive technologies must be built on a thorough understanding of the experiences and perceptions of all concerned interest groups, particularly those of users and their caregivers. This study provides an in-depth insight into the experiences and perceptions of users of the JACO wheelchair-mounted robotic arm and those of their caregivers. Users of JACO (<i>n</i> = 21; Female: 6; Male: 15) and caregivers (<i>n</i> = 11; Female: 9; Male: 2) participated in individual interviews used to gain qualitative insight into the impact of JACO on their day-to-day lives. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a hybrid deductive-inductive coding process. Thematic analysis was conducted in accordance with the <i>Consortium on Assistive Technology Outcomes Research</i> (CATOR) taxonomy. This article exclusively reports data on the social impact of the JACO wheelchair-mounted robotic arm. In addition, participants completed three questionnaires to gather more objective data for quantitative assessment. These included the <i>Caregiver Assistive Technology Outcome Measure</i> (CATOM), a sociodemographic questionnaire, and a home-based questionnaire to assess the social impact of using JACO. Findings pointed to highly varied experiences among participants, including instances of positive, negative, and absence of effects from the use of JACO. Participants’ feedback fell within two broad categories, <i>Human Assistance,</i> and <i>Cost and Use of Resources</i>. This study provides nuanced and varied insight into the spectrum of the social impact of using JACO as perceived by users and their caregivers, highlighting the importance of considering each user as an individual with unique experiences and needs. The use of the JACO Wheelchair-Mounted Robotic Arm tangibly impacts some caregivers, potentially by enabling a more typical relationship with their care-recipient, reducing their level of worry about the care-recipient’s safety, and by providing periods of respite from their caregiver role.The impact of JACO Wheelchair-Mounted Robotic Arm use as perceived by users and their caregivers varies considerably, emphasising the importance of client-centered care in the prescription and implementation of Wheelchair-Mounted Robotic Arms.Additional research is needed to clarify the roles and contributions of rehabilitation therapists in prescribing and implementing Wheelchair-Mounted Robotic Arms. The use of the JACO Wheelchair-Mounted Robotic Arm tangibly impacts some caregivers, potentially by enabling a more typical relationship with their care-recipient, reducing their level of worry about the care-recipient’s safety, and by providing periods of respite from their caregiver role. The impact of JACO Wheelchair-Mounted Robotic Arm use as perceived by users and their caregivers varies considerably, emphasising the importance of client-centered care in the prescription and implementation of Wheelchair-Mounted Robotic Arms. Additional research is needed to clarify the roles and contributions of rehabilitation therapists in prescribing and implementing Wheelchair-Mounted Robotic Arms.