Usability evaluation and acceptance of a wearable pulsed electromagnetic field device prototype with control app: study protocol

Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy is widely recognized for its clinical benefits in musculoskeletal rehabilitation; however, the usability and acceptance of wearable PEMF devices integrated with app-based control ecosystems and digital health remain largely unexplored. The success of connected medical technologies depends not only on clinical efficacy but also on user experience, ease of use, and perceived value, which influence adoption and compliance. This protocol describes an exploratory study aimed at evaluating the usability and technological acceptance of a prototype wearable PEMF device equipped with a dedicated control application. A mixed-methods, within-subjects crossover design will be applied to three user groups: home patients, physiotherapy students and outpatient physiotherapists. Each participant will use, in random order, two technologies: the prototype (with its app) and a system that has already been in use for years, consisting of a magnetotherapy device, LaMagneto, integrated with the ITECH Life app, which offers treatment tracking, reminders, and collection of patient-reported outcomes (IACER, Scorzè, Italy). Usability and acceptance will be assessed by the System Usability Scale (SUS) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) questionnaires. The analysis will focus on the outcome values provided by the two scales and subsequently compare them among the three groups. Usability and acceptance scores should achieve values ​​considered good when compared to those found in the literature. Comparative results will highlight differences between user groups and inform design refinements, integration strategies, and future research directions. This protocol provides a structured framework for assessing usability and acceptance of wearable PEMF technology in home-based rehabilitation. The results will support evidence-based development and drive digital health mainstreaming. In addition, they will lay the foundations for future studies aimed at evaluating the integration of the prototype with the ITECH Life app.