Manus: The evolution of an assistive technology

Abstract

Manus is a wheelchair mounted robotic arm that was designed for people who have significant impairment in function of all limbs. The process of development, user testing, and product modifications is described, with special emphasis on evaluations by consumers, After an evolution of 20 years, Manus is a commercially available product that is now being prescribed for users in The Netherlands and France. Preliminary prescription criteria are presented and a look at the current status of the assistive technology device concludes the paper.