Despite the growth of physically assistive robotics (PAR) research over the last decade, nearly half of PAR user studies do not involve participants with the target disabilities. There are several reasons for this -- recruitment challenges, small sample sizes, and transportation logistics -- all influenced by systemic barriers that people with disabilities face. However, it is well-established that working with end-users results in technology that better addresses their needs and integrates with their lived circumstances. In this paper, we reflect on multiple approaches we have taken to working with people with motor impairments across the design, development, and evaluation of three PAR projects: (a) assistive feeding with a robot arm; (b) assistive teleoperation with a mobile manipulator; and (c) shared control with a robot arm. We discuss these approaches to working with users along three dimensions -- individual vs. community-level insight, logistic burden on end-users vs. researchers, and benefit to researchers vs. community -- and share recommendations for how other PAR researchers can incorporate users into their work.

翻译：尽管过去十年物理辅助机器人（PAR）研究不断发展，但近半数PAR用户研究并未纳入目标残障群体参与者。其原因包括招募困难、样本数量稀少及交通物流问题——这些均受残障人士面临的系统性障碍影响。然而，已有充分证据表明，与终端用户合作开发的技术能更好地满足其需求并融入其生活情境。本文反思了我们在三个PAR项目设计、开发与评估阶段与运动功能障碍者合作的多种途径：（a）机械臂辅助进食；（b）移动操作设备辅助遥操作；（c）机械臂共享控制。我们从三个维度——个体与社区层面洞察、终端用户与研究者之间的后勤负担、研究者与社区收益——讨论这些用户合作方法，并分享其他PAR研究者如何将用户融入工作的建议。