Enhancing Functional and Extra Motor Abilities: A Focus Group Study on the Re-Design of an Extra-Robotic Finger

The utilization of extra-robotic limbs to regain and extend motor abilities poses challenges. Nonetheless, the evidence suggesting the extension of these abilities without functional interference holds promise for the advancement of extra-robotic fingers or limbs. To gain insights into design improvement from diverse perspectives, we conducted a focus group study utilizing a prototype supernumerary robotic finger (SRF). The main purpose of the study is to gain knowledge on the current prototype, and then use the outcomes in a future co-designing process of SRF having the potential to be used as an assistive and augmented tool. Fifteen healthy subjects with an engineering background participated in the current study. We analyzed the collected data through a thematic analysis process to generate key design recommendations. These recommendations contain suggestions for designing for personal and social acceptance, adaptability, and multi-modal interaction. The results serve as a subset of future subsequent studies to be carried out with other stakeholders of the prototype, including patients, clinicians, and designers. Future work focuses on using the recommendations in a co-design process to inform the prototyping of SRF technologies supporting and extending motor abilities in upper limbs.