Utilizing multi-user virtual reality to bring clinical therapy into stroke survivors' homes |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, Hand Rehabilitation Laboratory, Chicago, IL, USA;2. Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill and Raleigh, NC, USA;3. Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL), School of Design, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA;1. BioRobotics Lab, Mechanical/Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (UWM), WI, USA;2. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical College of Wisconsin, WI, USA;3. Occupational Science and Technology, College of Health Science, UWM, WI, USA;1. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Orthopaedic Centre of Excellence for Research and Learning (NOCERAL), University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;2. Upper Limb & Reconstructive Microsurgery Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Orthopaedic Centre of Excellence for Research and Learning (NOCERAL), University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia |
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| Abstract: | IntroductionLifespans after the occurrence of a stroke have been lengthening, but most stroke survivors will experience chronic impairment. Directed, repetitive practice may reduce deficits, but clinical access is often limited by a variety of factors, such as transportation.Purpose of the StudyTo introduce a multiuser virtual reality platform that can be used to promote therapist-client interactions when the client is at home.MethodsThe Virtual Environment for Rehabilitative Gaming Exercises encourages exploration of the hand workspace by enabling multiple participants, located remotely and colocated virtually, to interact with the same virtual objects in the shared virtual space. Each user controls an avatar by corresponding movement of his or her own body segments. System performance with stroke survivors was evaluated during longitudinal studies in a laboratory environment and in participants' homes. Active arm movement was tracked throughout therapy sessions for both studies.ResultsStroke survivors achieved considerable arm movement while using the system. Mean voluntary hand displacement, after accounting for trunk displacement, was greater than 350 m per therapy session for the Virtual Environment for Rehabilitative Gaming Exercises system. Compliance for home-based therapy was quite high, with 94% of all scheduled sessions completed. Having multiple players led to longer sessions and more arm movement than when the stroke survivors were trained alone.ConclusionsMultiuser virtual reality offers a relatively inexpensive means of extending clinical therapy into home and enabling family and friends to support rehabilitation efforts, even when physically remote from each other. |
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| Keywords: | Therapy Stroke Home-based training Virtual reality |
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