A Wearable Mixed Reality Platform to Augment Overground Walking: A Feasibility Study

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Technology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Central nervous system (CNS) injuries impair walking speed modulation, increasing fall risk.
• Virtual reality (VR) enhances gait training but lacks real-world views, limiting functional carryover.
• Mixed reality head-mount displays (MR-HMD) offer immersive virtual interactions within real-world views, potentially improving gait rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel mixed reality application using Microsoft HoloLens MR-HMD for real-time walking speed feedback.
• To determine if individuals can use MR-HMD visual feedback to achieve specific overground walking speed targets (85%, 100%, 115% of self-selected speed).
• To explore the accuracy, consistency, and effects on gait variability when using MR-HMD for gait training.

Main Methods:

• Developed a mixed reality application with Microsoft HoloLens MR-HMD for real-time visual feedback of walking speed targets.
• Tested the application with healthy adults, assessing their ability to match target speeds (85%, 100%, 115% of self-selected).
• Analyzed accuracy, trial consistency, and changes in gait parameters (speed, stride length, stride time) with and without MR-HMD feedback.

Main Results:

• Participants successfully matched their overground walking speed to MR-HMD visual feedback targets (p > 0.05).
• Inaccuracy was approximately 5% and remained consistent after the first trial.
• Walking with MR-HMD feedback did not increase walking speed variability but increased stride length and time variability compared to no feedback.

Conclusions:

• Mixed reality-based visual feedback effectively promotes goal-specific changes in overground walking behavior.
• The MR-HMD application shows potential for gait rehabilitation by providing augmented sensory feedback.
• Further research is needed to confirm the clinical safety and efficacy of MR-HMD technology in rehabilitation settings.