Feasibility of an Exoskeleton-Based Interactive Video Game System for Upper Extremity Burn Contractures

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Biomechanical Engineering
• Game Design

Background:

• Burn contractures significantly impair upper extremity function and are challenging to manage.
• Continuous joint motion measurement is crucial for assessing contracture interventions but is not standard practice.
• Interactive gaming systems offer a novel approach to collect such data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the usability of an exoskeleton-based interactive gaming system for rehabilitating upper extremity burn contractures.
• To assess patient engagement, comfort, and perceived difficulty with the system.

Main Methods:

• A feasibility study involving eight participants with upper extremity burn contractures.
• Participants engaged with an exoskeleton-based interactive gaming system, playing four distinct video games.
• Continuous joint motion data (shoulder and elbow) were collected during gameplay.

Main Results:

• Participants reported satisfactory levels of enjoyment, comfort, and difficulty.
• Continuous joint motion data varied significantly across individuals, joint planes, and games.
• The system successfully collected joint motion data in the burn population.

Conclusions:

• Exoskeleton-based interactive gaming systems are feasible for use in the burn population for measuring joint motion.
• Future research should focus on the efficacy of tailoring these games to specific joint impairments in burn survivors.
• This technology holds promise for improving the assessment and rehabilitation of burn-related contractures.