Interactive serious game for shoulder rehabilitation based on real-time hand tracking

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Virtual Reality Technology
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) offers advantages in rehabilitation, including patient motivation, adaptive difficulty, and objective performance tracking.
• Serious games in VR can enhance patient engagement and provide personalized rehabilitation experiences.
• VR technology is increasingly integrated into therapeutic interventions for improved patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement a serious game for shoulder rehabilitation utilizing real-time hand tracking.
• To preserve the therapeutic benefits of conventional rehabilitation while minimizing resource requirements and cost.
• To promote greater active participation from patients in their rehabilitation process.

Main Methods:

• A 2D interactive game environment was developed for a shoulder horizontal adduction exercise.
• The system uses a Leap Motion Controller for hand tracking, with a standard computer and screen.
• Adjustable desk pad friction allows physiotherapists to modify exercise difficulty.

Main Results:

• The serious game was evaluated by fourteen healthy volunteers and six rehabilitation experts.
• User feedback indicated the application is attractive and ergonomic.
• The system was deemed clinically useful by the participants.

Conclusions:

• The developed serious game shows promise for shoulder rehabilitation.
• Further clinical validation is required to establish the game's efficacy.
• The study highlights the potential of VR serious games in physical therapy.