Upper Limb Rehabilitation Tools in Virtual Reality Based on Haptic and 3D Spatial Recognition Analysis: A Pilot Study

Abstract

With aging, cerebrovascular diseases can occur more often. Stroke cases involve hemiplegia, which causes difficulties in performing activities of daily living. Existing rehabilitation treatments are based on the subjective evaluation of the therapist as the need for non-contact care arises; it is necessary to develop a system that can self-rehabilitate and offer objective analysis. Therefore, we developed rehabilitation tools that enable self-rehabilitation exercises in a virtual space based on haptics. Thirty adults without neurological damage were trained five times in a virtual environment, and the time, number of collisions, and coordinates were digitized and stored in real time. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the time and distance similarity changes revealed that as the number of rounds increased, no changes or increases occurred (p ≥ 0.05), and the collisions and paths were stable as the training progressed (p < 0.05). ANOVA showed a high correlation (0.90) with a decrease in the number of crashes and time required. It was meaningful to users when performing rehabilitation training more than four times and significantly impacted the analysis. This study analyzed the upper limb and cognitive rehabilitation of able-boded people in three-dimensional space in a virtual environment; the performance difficulty could be controlled through variations in rehabilitation models.

Evaluating the efficacy of a haptic feedback, 360° treadmill-integrated virtual reality framework and longitudinal training on decision-making performance in a complex search-and-shoot simulation

“…In action-oriented simulations, such as the search-and-shoot simulation investigated in this study, haptic feedback can alert users to environmental cues, simulate weapon recoil, or convey spatial constraints, all impacting decision-making strategies [15,16]. Research studies exploring the impact of haptic feedback on VR experiences have highlighted its profound effects on immersion and presence [17][18][19]. By providing users with tactile feedback corresponding to virtual interaction, haptic feedback systems have been reported to create a significantly enhanced and cohesive sensory experience, aligning visual, auditory, and tactile stimuli to create a sense of "being there" in the virtual environment, eventually contributing to a heightened sense of realism, emotional engagement, and cognitive processing within VR scenarios [18,20].…”

“…Research studies exploring the impact of haptic feedback on VR experiences have highlighted its profound effects on immersion and presence [17][18][19]. By providing users with tactile feedback corresponding to virtual interaction, haptic feedback systems have been reported to create a significantly enhanced and cohesive sensory experience, aligning visual, auditory, and tactile stimuli to create a sense of "being there" in the virtual environment, eventually contributing to a heightened sense of realism, emotional engagement, and cognitive processing within VR scenarios [18,20]. Researchers in [21] conveyed that haptic feedback can impart knowledge regarding sensations of weight, texture, and resistance, thereby improving motor skills and spatial awareness.…”