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Arm's Big Flaw: Patients Say It's 'too Easy' Maybe one day the
robotic arm can help people do things the cannot do on their
own; © Jason Greene/UCF One touch directs a robotic arm to grab
objects in a new computer program designed to give people in
wheelchairs more independence. Researchers thought the ease of
the using the program's automatic mode would be a huge hit. But
they were wrong – many participants in a pilot study didn't like
it because it was "too easy." Most participants preferred the
manual mode, which requires them to think several steps ahead
and either physically type in instructions or verbally direct
the arm with a series of precise commands. They favored the
manual mode even though they did not perform tasks as well with
it. John Bricout, the associate dean for Research and Community
Outreach at the University of Texas at Arlington School of
Social Work, said the study demonstrates how people want to be
engaged – but not over