Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2026
Using Virtual Reality to Transfer Motor Skill Knowledge from One Hand to Another
Published on: September 18, 2017
Virtual reality-based paediatric interactive therapy system (PITS) for improvement of arm and hand function in
David Wille1, Kynan Eng, Lisa Holper
1Rehabilitation Centre University Children's Hospital Zurich, Affoltern am Albis, Switzerland. david.wille@kispi.uzh.ch
Objective:
Rehabilitation of upper-limb sensorimotor function in children with motor dysfunctions is primarily based on movement training. This study developed a virtual-reality based, paediatric interactive therapy system (PITS) that allows children to practice specific movements of the upper limbs with immediate feedback about their motor performance.
Methods:
The system was tested on five children with motor dysfunctions over 3 weeks of training. Pre- and post-assessment was conducted before and after the training period.
Results:
Results of the pilot study show improvements of hand function in the test scores (except one patient). Patient motivation was high and maintained over the course of the therapy sessions.
Conclusion:
PITS is an applicable VR-system which can be feasibly applied during the rehabilitation of children with upper limb motor dysfunctions. Further investigation is necessary to determine if the system provides significantly improved results compared to conventional therapies, both in terms of motor function outcomes and patient motivation.
