Heuristic Evaluation of the Usability of the Autonomous System: An Assistive Technology for People with ALS

This article presents a heuristic usability evaluation of the Autonomus System, an assistive technology developed by Technological Innovation Laboratory in Health (LAIS/UFRN) to support communication through eye blinking for people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The objective was to identify the system's strengths and weaknesses in order to propose improvements that increase its accessibility and effectiveness. The research was based on Nielsen's Heuristics, using a questionnaire administered to five expert evaluators. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, range, variance, and confidence interval), complemented by classification of problem severity. The results indicated satisfactory performance, with emphasis on the visibility of system status and consistency of the interface, although aspects such as clarity of instructions, efficiency, and documentation require adjustments. The conclusion is that Autonomus represents a low-cost national solution with significant potential for social impact, but that it must evolve to fully meet the needs of users at different stages of the disease.