Rehabilitation engineering research - Theoretical and methodological considerations

Rehabilitation engineering research often keeps a low profile with respect to theory and method. If theories and methods are accounted for at all, they are often different for different projects. In the long run this is inefficient and a severe obstacle to co-operation between research groups and to peer examination. The many projects that are carried through do not automatically result in improved theory formation or greater methodological awareness. However, the converse might apply: individual projects might benefit from more intelligible theories and methods. The reason for this is that when theories are made visible, new thoughts and new knowledge become possible. Another consequence of concisely and scientifically presented methods is that they enable critical examinations, which is a precondition for qualified research. This paper is an attempt to contribute to the theoretical and methodological development of the field of rehabilitation engineering research. Rehabilitation engineering ought to combine the natural sciences' striving for clarity, its generalisation and causal connection (''this happens because of..'') with technology's dependence on clear specifications with respect to both conditions and intentions (''we are doing this in order to..'') and incorporate these into the emphasis on the individual aspect which characterises the humanities. This seemingly impossible task has turned out to be possible in the context of case studies at CERTEC, Center for Rehabilitation Engineering Research, at Lund University, Sweden. Case methodology and HMI, Human Machine Interaction, are the essential theoretical foundations that combined with our own theoretical framework give a useful basis for the everyday research. The strong user involvement might be seen as an indicator that also action research is involved. The most important result of rehabilitation engineering research is seldom the new technology in itself but rather the new knowledge about the users that is revealed through the confrontation with the new technology. The iterative prototyping can clarify and give completely new insights into needs, wishes and dreams. The character of these insights is more concrete than results obtained by the behavioural sciences through the use of questionnaires, in-depth interviews, etc.