Development and preliminary evaluation of a novel low cost VR-based upper limb stroke rehabilitation platform using Wii technology.

Abstract Purpose: This paper proposes a novel system (using the Nintendo Wii remote) that offers customised, non-immersive, virtual reality-based, upper-limb stroke rehabilitation and reports on promising preliminary findings with stroke survivors. Method: The system novelty lies in the high accuracy of the full kinematic tracking of the upper limb movement in real-time, offering strong personal connection between the stroke survivor and a virtual character when executing therapist prescribed adjustable exercises/games. It allows the therapist to monitor patient performance and to individually calibrate the system in terms of range of movement, speed and duration. Results: The system was tested for acceptability with three stroke survivors with differing levels of disability. Participants reported an overwhelming connection with the system and avatar. A two-week, single case study with a long-term stroke survivor showed positive changes in all four outcome measures employed, with the participant reporting better wrist control and greater functional use. Activities, which were deemed too challenging or too easy were associated with lower scores of enjoyment/motivation, highlighting the need for activities to be individually calibrated. Conclusions: Given the preliminary findings, it would be beneficial to extend the case study in terms of duration and participants and to conduct an acceptability and feasibility study with community dwelling survivors. Implications for Rehabilitation Low-cost, off-the-shelf game sensors, such as the Nintendo Wii remote, are acceptable by stroke survivors as an add-on to upper limb stroke rehabilitation but have to be bespoked to provide high-fidelity and real-time kinematic tracking of the arm movement. Providing therapists with real-time and remote monitoring of the quality of the movement and not just the amount of practice, is imperative and most critical for getting a better understanding of each patient and administering the right amount and type of exercise. The ability to translate therapeutic arm movement into individually calibrated exercises and games, allows accommodation of the wide range of movement difficulties seen after stroke and the ability to adjust these activities (in terms of speed, range of movement and duration) will aid motivation and adherence - key issues in rehabilitation. With increasing pressures on resources and the move to more community-based rehabilitation, the proposed system has the potential for promoting the intensity of practice necessary for recovery in both community and acute settings.The National Health Service (NHS) London Regional Innovation Fund

Ambient health monitoring: the smartphone as a body sensor network component

Inertial measurement units used in commercial body sensor networks (e.g. animation suits) are inefficient, difficult to use and expensive when adapted for movement science applications concerning medical and sports science. However, due to advances in micro-electro mechanical sensors, these inertial sensors have become ubiquitous in mobile computing technologies such as smartphones. Smartphones generally use inertial sensors to enhance the interface usability. This paper investigates the use of a smartphone’s inertial sensing capability as a component in body sensor networks. It discusses several topics centered on inertial sensing: body sensor networks, smartphone networks and a prototype framework for integrating these and other heterogeneous devices. The proposed solution is a smartphone application that gathers, processes and filters sensor data for the purpose of tracking physical activity. All networking functionality is achieved by Skeletrix, a framework for gathering and organizing motion data in online repositories that are conveniently accessible to researchers, healthcare professionals and medical care workers

Virtual reality application for rehabilitation

Aquest projecte té com a objectiu desenvolupar una aplicació de Realitat Virtual funcional per a la rehabilitació i el benestar de la gent gran en residències d’avis. El que es pretén és complementar el tractament de rehabilitació dels pacients mitjançant jocs de Realitat Virtual que els permetin realitzar moviments repetitius mentre es mouen per un entorn natural immersiu.Este proyecto tiene como objetivo desarrollar una aplicación de Realidad Virtual funcional para la rehabilitación y el bienestar de las personas mayores en residencias de ancianos. Lo que se pretende es complementar el tratamiento de rehabilitación de los pacientes mediante juegos de Realidad Virtual que les permitan realizar movimientos repetitivos mientras se mueven por un entorno natural inmersivo.This project aims to develop a functional Virtual Reality application for the rehabilitation and well-being of older adults in nursing homes. It intends to engage the patient in the rehabilitation treatment by means of Virtual Reality games. To play these games, the patient must execute repetitive movements while moving around in an immersive natural environment.Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::3 - Salut i Benesta

Virtual reality application for rehabilitation

Aquest projecte té com a objectiu desenvolupar una aplicació de Realitat Virtual funcional per a la rehabilitació i el benestar de la gent gran en residències d’avis. El que es pretén és complementar el tractament de rehabilitació dels pacients mitjançant jocs de Realitat Virtual que els permetin realitzar moviments repetitius mentre es mouen per un entorn natural immersiu.Este proyecto tiene como objetivo desarrollar una aplicación de Realidad Virtual funcional para la rehabilitación y el bienestar de las personas mayores en residencias de ancianos. Lo que se pretende es complementar el tratamiento de rehabilitación de los pacientes mediante juegos de Realidad Virtual que les permitan realizar movimientos repetitivos mientras se mueven por un entorno natural inmersivo.This project aims to develop a functional Virtual Reality application for the rehabilitation and well-being of older adults in nursing homes. It intends to engage the patient in the rehabilitation treatment by means of Virtual Reality games. To play these games, the patient must execute repetitive movements while moving around in an immersive natural environment.Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::3 - Salut i Benesta

Virtual Reality Games for Motor Rehabilitation

This paper presents a fuzzy logic based method to track user satisfaction without the need for devices to monitor users physiological conditions. User satisfaction is the key to any product’s acceptance; computer applications and video games provide a unique opportunity to provide a tailored environment for each user to better suit their needs. We have implemented a non-adaptive fuzzy logic model of emotion, based on the emotional component of the Fuzzy Logic Adaptive Model of Emotion (FLAME) proposed by El-Nasr, to estimate player emotion in UnrealTournament 2004. In this paper we describe the implementation of this system and present the results of one of several play tests. Our research contradicts the current literature that suggests physiological measurements are needed. We show that it is possible to use a software only method to estimate user emotion

Simple MoCap System for Home Usage

Nowadays many MoCap systems exist. Generating 3D facial animation of characters is currently realized by using the motion capture data (MoCap data), which is obtained by tracking the facial markers from an actor/actress. In general it is a professional solution that is sophisticated and costly. This paper presents a solution with a system that is inexpensive. We propose a new easy-to-use system for home usage, through which we are making character animation. In its implementation we paid attention to the elimination of errors from the previous solutions. In this paper the authors describe the method how motion capture characters on a treadmill and as well as an own Java application that processes the video for its further use in Cinema 4D. This paper describes the implementation of this technology of sensing in a way so that the animated character authentically imitated human movement on a treadmill