Authors:
J. Albusac
1
;
V. Herrera
1
;
Oscar Dominguez-Ocaña
1
;
E. Angulo
1
;
A. De Los Reyes-Guzmán
2
and
D. Vallejo
1
Affiliations:
1
Department of Technologies and Information Systems, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
;
2
Biomechanics and Technical Aids Unit. Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos de Toledo, Spain
Keyword(s):
Upper Limb, Rehabilitation, Virtual Reality, Serious Games, Handball.
Abstract:
In this paper, we present a virtual reality-based serious game that simulates the training of a wheelchair handball goalkeeper. It is designed to complement traditional therapy for upper limb rehabilitation and trunk mobility improvement in spinal cord injury patients. The proposal is underpinned by a multi-layered architecture that provides a therapeutic environment that enhances patient motivation and satisfaction through gamification techniques. The architecture also provides precise kinematic recording during exercise performance, since the recorded data is essential for therapists to objectively assess each patient’s progress. Particularly, the recorded can be used to assess the extent of movement, how fast and smooth it is, the number of repetitions and their consistency, as well as the accuracy and precision of movements, balance, and posture control. The serious game was tested in the Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos de Toledo, involving patients and healthcare professionals
. The collected data are publicly available. This preliminary evaluation has been focused on assessing its functionality and safety. Following the exercise sessions, all participants were asked to complete a short questionnaire to measure their motivation, sense of achievement, satisfaction and overall comfort and well-being in the virtual environment. Future plans include expanding the patient sample and monitoring the long-term progress and impact of VR therapy on the recovery of mobility in the affected limbs.
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