Short- and Medium-Term Outcomes:

1. A Mobile Usability Lab that serves as an effective tool for in-depth RERC analysis of the accessibility of targed medical devices for persons with diverse functional impairments and disabilities.
2. Effective application of MU-Lab for a range of internal RERC studies and, as appropriate, transfer to other groups interested in studying the accessibility and usability of medical instrumentation.

Objectives:

The aim of this project, to be completed by halfway through this first 5-year cycle, is to develop an innovative usability & accessibility analysis tool that is specifically designed for assessing targeted medical instrumentation use by populations that include individuals with a diverse range of disabilities. This is a core technology of this RERC, and the key "clients" are the following RERC-AMI projects that will use this tool:

• R2 Usability Analysis
• D2 Development
• R3 Accessibility Measurement
• D3 Emerging & Accessibility Technologies

A unique multi-site team based in both Wisconsin and California has been assembled to address the need for a mobile, web-based, multi-site data collection and analysis tool. Our deliverable, called the Mobile Usability Lab (or MU-Lab for short), blends our collective expertise in ergonomics, usability engineering, universal design and rehabilitation biomechanics methods.

Background

Development Team from Marquette University and University of California Ergonomics Lab

MU-Lab Hardware and Suitcase

MU-Lab's Protocol Manager

MU-Lab Data Analysis Using MVTA

MU-Lab Manual

Highlighted Project: Melissa Lemke's MS thesis on evaluating the MU-Lab and MED-AUDIT assessment tools for biomechanical analyses.