Individual, Social, and Economic Outcomes of the JACO Robotic Arm: a Scoping Review

Robotic arms are assistive technologies that can be attached to motorised wheelchairs to compensate for the loss of upper limb mobility. The JACO arm, currently one of the most widely used robotic arms, was developed and commercialised by the Canadian company Kinova Robotics. Previous preliminary studies have reported various impacts of this technology, including on user’s social participation and quality of life (Routhier et al., 2014; Maheu et al., 2011; Routhier., 2022). However, access to such technologies remains complex and is facilitated by the involvement of multiple people and organisations (Spittel et al., 2024; Atigossou et al., 2025). This mixed methods scoping review aims to address two research questions: 1) What are the individual, social, and economic impacts of the JACO arm on these people and organisations ? and 2) Which individuals and organisations are involved in the use of the JACO arm ? The findings of this scoping review will provide a comprehensive overview of the overall impacts of this technology and a better understanding of the individuals and organizations involved in its use. Synthesizing and understanding the diversity of experiences related to JACO arm use across different populations and contexts will guide future research and policy decisions regarding this technology.