Distributed Cognitive Aid With Scheduling and Interactive Task Guidance
By LoPresti, Edmund F.; Simpson, Richard C.; Kirsch, Ned; Schreckenghost, Debra; Hayashi, Stephen; Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, Vol. 45, No. 4, pp. 505-521Publication Date: 2008
Overview of ICue, an interactive scheduling and task guidance system for use by people with memory and organizational impairments. ICue was designed to allow a caregiver to organize a client’s activities into a daily schedule and instruct the client on how to perform these activities. The system has 4 components: (1) an Activity Assistant that guides a client through the performance of daily tasks on a schedule; (2) a Design Assistant that aids a caregiver in defining steps within a task and creating a schedule of multiple tasks; (3) a Cognition Manager that builds a client schedule using information from the caregiver, then generates client instructions and monitors client feedback during activities; and (4) an Information Server that hosts the Cognition Manager. The system’s delivery platform is hardware independent, and so can be used on, for example, a laptop, PDA, or smart phone. Trials were conducted with ICue for clients with TBI who followed instructions for tasks such as setting a clock radio, traveling from one therapy site to another, and using a glucometer to measure blood sugar. Usability of the Design Assistant component of the system was tested with six rehabilitation professionals. Results of these preliminary tests indicated that ICue has the potential to benefit people with memory and organizational impairments; however, the authors point out that more controlled clinical trials are needed to establish the system’s efficacy and ease of use for both clients and caregivers.
Published by:
VA Rehabilitation Research & Development Service (Web Site: http://www.rehab.research.va.gov )
Link to text: http://www.rehab.research.va.gov/jour/08/45/4/lopresti.html
This publication is included in the library of the National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC), accession number J55039
