Virtual reality-enhanced stroke rehabilitation

TLDR

A PC‑based virtual reality system using a CyberGlove and a Rutgers Master II‑ND force‑feedback glove was developed to rehabilitate hand function in stroke patients, offering four exercise routines targeting range, speed, fractionation, or strength, with performance‑based target levels to tailor difficulty and motivate users, and was piloted with three chronic stroke patients performing daily sessions for two weeks alongside non‑computer tasks. Objective measurements indicated that each of the three chronic stroke patients improved on most hand parameters during the two‑week training, and patients reported positive subjective experiences. This technical report focuses on the newly developed VR rehabilitation technology.

Abstract

A personal computer (PC)-based desktop virtual reality (VR) system was developed for rehabilitating hand function in stroke patients. The system uses two input devices, a CyberGlove and a Rutgers Master II-ND (RMII) force feedback glove, allowing user interaction with a virtual environment. This consists of four rehabilitation routines, each designed to exercise one specific parameter of hand movement: range, speed, fractionation or strength. The use of performance-based target levels is designed to increase patient motivation and individualize exercise difficulty to a patient's current state. Pilot clinical trials have been performed using the above system combined with noncomputer tasks, such as pegboard insertion or tracing of two-dimensional (2-D) patterns. Three chronic stroke patients used this rehabilitation protocol daily for two weeks. Objective measurements showed that each patient showed improvement on most of the hand parameters over the course of the training. Subjective evaluation by the patients was also positive. This technical report focuses on this newly developed technology for VR rehabilitation.