The traditional emphasis of Rehabilitation Robotics has been dominated largely by the logistics of system development rather than how to maximise overall system usability [1]. The research programme at Cambridge has focused on the shortcomings of this approach and the identification of strategies for placing the user exclusively at the centre of the design process [2].
This paper describes the re-design of the interface for an Interactive Robotic Visual Inspection System (IRVIS) and how this was used to formulate a structured, methodical approach to user-centred interface design. A discussion of the original IRVIS interface design will be presented, followed by a description of current usability theory and its role in formulating the proposed five-level user-centred design approach. The results of the evaluation of this approach, through user trials, will also be discussed.
Full Paper