Virtual Environments for Motor Rehabilitation: Review

Abstract

In this paper, the current "state of the art" for virtual reality (VR) applications in the field of motor rehabilitation is reviewed. The paper begins with a brief overview of available equipment options. Next, a discussion of the scientific rationale for use of VR in motor rehabilitation is provided. Finally, the major portion of the paper describes the various VR systems that have been developed for use with patients, and the results of clinical studies reported to date in the literature. Areas covered include stroke rehabilitation (upper and lower extremity training, spatial and perceptual-motor training), acquired brain injury, Parkinson's disease, orthopedic rehabilitation, balance training, wheelchair mobility and functional activities of daily living training, and the newly developing field of telerehabilitation. Four major findings emerge from these studies: (1) people with disabilities appear capable of motor learning within virtual environments; (2) movements learned by people with disabilities in VR transfer to real world equivalent motor tasks in most cases, and in some cases even generalize to other untrained tasks; (3) in the few studies (n = 5) that have compared motor learning in real versus virtual environments, some advantage for VR training has been found in all cases; and (4) no occurrences of cybersickness in impaired populations have been reported to date in experiments where VR has been used to train motor abilities.

Assessment of wheelchair driving performance in a virtual reality-based simulator

“…Virtual reality displays are known to cause simulator sickness (similar to motion sickness) after prolonged use without a break. 1,43 In future studies a larger number of more experienced and less experienced clinicians will be recruited for the virtual driving evaluations. The consensus building protocol would be implemented so that clinicians with all levels of experience can interpret and evaluate the VPMRT scale in a more uniform fashion.…”

Go-with-the-Flow: Tracking, Analysis and Sonification of Movement and Breathing to Build Confidence in Activity Despite Chronic Pain

“…These requirements and strategies differ from those instantiated in technology for physical rehabilitation that are often based on correcting movement by exploiting shift-of-attention mechanisms to facilitate endurance during activity, and maximizing performance by constant challenge (Holden, 2005;Lewis & Rosie, 2012). Physical progress is the only measure of efficacy embedded and driving the design and the form of support provided during physical rehabilitation in CP (Jansen-Kosterink et al, 2013;Schönauer, Pintaric, Kaufmann, Jansen-Kosterink, & Vollenbroek-Hutten, 2011).…”

Effects of shading and droplines on object localization in virtual rehabilitation for patients with neurological conditions

“…Some systems also provide haptic feedback of objects in the VR. The use of VR systems for rehabilitation is becoming more commonplace (cf., [9], [10], [11], [12]). The aim of these systems is to aid the patients in a better and more efficient rehabilitation program.…”