Virtual reality rehabilitation – what do users with disabilities want?

This paper will discuss preliminary findings of user preferences regarding video game and VR game-based motor rehabilitation systems within a physical therapy clinic for patients with SCI, TBI and amputation. The video game and VR systems chosen for this research were the Sony PlayStation ® 2 EyeToy™, Nintendo ® Wii™, and Novint ® Falcon ™ and an optical tracking system developed at the Institute for Creative Technologies at the University of Southern California. The overall goals of the current project were to 1) identify and define user preferences regarding the VR games and interactive systems; 2) develop new games, or manipulate the current USC-ICT games to address these user-defined characteristics that were most enjoyable and motivating to use; and 3) develop and pilot test a training protocol aimed to improve function in each of the three groups (TBI, SCI and amputation). The first goal of this research will be discussed in this paper