Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause cognitive, communication, and psychological challenges that profoundly limit independence in everyday life. Conversational Agents (CAs) can provide individuals with TBI with cognitive and communication support, although little is known about how they make use of CAs to address injury-related needs. In this study, we gave nine adults with TBI an at-home CA for four weeks to investigate use patterns, challenges, and design requirements, focusing particularly on injury-related use. The findings revealed significant gaps between the current capabilities of CAs and accessibility challenges faced by TBI users. We also identified 14 TBI-related activities that participants engaged in with CAs. We categorized those activities into four groups: mental health, cognitive activities, healthcare and rehabilitation, and routine activities. Design implications focus on accessibility improvements and functional designs of CAs that can better support the day-to-day needs of people with TBI.

翻译：脑外伤（TBI）可能导致认知、沟通和心理方面的障碍，严重限制患者的日常生活独立性。对话代理（CAs）可为脑外伤患者提供认知与沟通支持，但目前关于他们如何利用对话代理应对伤后需求的研究仍十分有限。本研究邀请了九名脑外伤成年患者在家中连续四周使用对话代理，重点考察其使用模式、面临的挑战及设计需求，尤其关注与伤后相关的应用场景。研究结果显示，当前对话代理的能力与脑外伤用户面临的可及性挑战之间存在显著差距。我们还识别出参与者与对话代理进行的14项与脑外伤相关的活动，并将其归纳为四类：心理健康、认知活动、医疗与康复、以及日常活动。设计启示聚焦于提升可及性和功能设计，使对话代理能更有效地满足脑外伤患者的日常需求。