Patient experience using digital therapy “Vigo” for stroke patient recovery: a qualitative descriptive study

Background: The digital assistant “Vigo” is a computer-generated artificial intelligence-based application that serves as a digital assistant to a stroke patient and his family. With its conversational chatbot and gamification elements it counsels, educates, and trains the stroke patient and patient's family on stroke, rehabilitation, care, and other related issues. Aim: This study describes insights about The digital assitant “Vigo” usability from a patients' perspective. Methods: Twelve patients tested the application at their home environment. Three semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant to obtain information on the usability of the application. Deductive thematic analyses were used to analyze trancripts. Results: Participants expressed their opinions on music, pictures, video and audio files, chat options, layout, text, name of application and stand that is used for placement of devices on which “Vigo” is installed on. All participants generally evaluated application as transparent, understandable, and handy. The overall design of the application was rated as good. Participants were mostly unsatisfied with difficulty level and diversity of exercises. Conclusions: Participants had a positive attitude towards using tablet tehchnologies in their home environment. Users of digital assistant “Vigo” acknowledged its ability to support, give educational information and increase participation in therapeutic activities.Implications for rehabilitation Tablet application can support, give educational information, and increase participation in therapeutic activities for persons after stroke. As home-based rehabilitation tool, the content of the application must be simple, flexible, and diverse, to face the challenges of meeting each individual's goals, functional needs and abilities.