There is some evidence that disordered self-processing in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is linked to the social impairments characteristic of the condition. To investigate whether bodily self-consciousness is altered in ASD as a result of multisensory processing differences, we tested responses to the full body illusion (FBI) and measured peripersonal space (PPS) in 22 adults with ASD and 29 neurotypical adults. In the FBI setup, participants wore a head mounted display showing a view of their 'virtual body' being stroked synchronously or asynchronously with respect to felt stroking on their back.After stroking, we measured the drift in perceived self-location and selfidentification with the virtual body. To assess the PPS boundary we employed an audiotactile reaction time task. Results showed that participants with ASD are markedly less susceptible to the FBI, not demonstrating the illusory selfidentification and self-location drift. Strength of self-identification was negatively correlated with severity of autistic traits and contributed positively to empathy scores. Results also demonstrated a significantly smaller PPS, with a sharper (steeper) boundary, in ASD participants. These results suggest that bodily selfconsciousness is altered in participants with ASD due to differences in multisensory integration, and this may be linked to deficits in social functioning.Autism (in press) 3
Rehabiliation robotics combined with video game technology provides a means of assisting in the rehabilitation of patients with neuromuscular disorders by performing various facilitation movements. The current work presents ReHabGame, a serious game using a fusion of implemented technologies that can be easily used by patients and therapists to assess and enhance sensorimotor performance and also increase the activities in the daily lives of patients. The game allows a player to control avatar movements through a Kinect Xbox, Myo armband and rudder foot pedal, and involves a series of reach-grasp-collect tasks whose difficulty levels are learnt by a fuzzy interface. The orientation, angular velocity, head and spine tilts and other data generated by the player are monitored and saved, whilst the task completion is calculated by solving an inverse kinematics algorithm which orientates the upper limb joints of the avatar. The different values in upper body quantities of movement provide fuzzy input from which crisp output is determined and used to generate an appropriate subsequent rehabilitation game level. The system can thus provide personalised, autonomously-learnt rehabilitation programmes for patients with neuromuscular disorders with superior predictions to guide the development of improved clinical protocols compared to traditional theraputic activities.
This paper proposes the use of a non-immersive virtual reality rehabilitation system “ReHabgame” developed using Microsoft Kinect™ and the Thalmic™ Labs Myo gesture control armband. The ReHabgame was developed based on two third-person video games that provide a feasible possibility of assessing postural control and functional reach tests. It accurately quantifies specific postural control mechanisms including timed standing balance, functional reach tests using real-time anatomical landmark orientation, joint velocity, and acceleration while end trajectories were calculated using an inverse kinematics algorithm. The game was designed to help patients with neurological impairment to be subjected to physiotherapy activity and practice postures of daily activities. The subjective experience of the ReHabgame was studied through the development of an Engagement Questionnaire (EQ) for qualitative, quantitative and Rasch model.The Monte-Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) and Random object (ROG) generator algorithms were used to adapt the physical and gameplay intensity in the ReHabgame based on the Motor Assessment Scale (MAS) and Hierarchical Scoring System (HSS). Rasch analysis was conducted to assess the psychometric characteristics of the ReHabgame and to identify if these are any misfitting items in the game.Rasch rating scale model (RSM) was used to assess the engagement of players in the ReHabgame and evaluate the effectiveness and attractiveness of the game. The results showed that the scales assessing the rehabilitation process met Rasch expectations of reliability, and unidimensionality. Infit and outfit mean squares values are in the range of (0.68–1.52) for all considered 16 items. The Root Mean Square Residual (RMSR) and the person separation reliability were acceptable. The item/person map showed that the persons and items were clustered symmetrically.
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