Patient Experience in Adjunct Controller-Free Hand Tracking Virtual Reality Tasks for Upper-Limb Occupational Therapy...

Area of Science:

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

Background:

• Immersive virtual reality rehabilitation (VRR) enhances patient motivation and skill transfer.
• Oculus hand-tracking technology enables VRR without traditional controllers, benefiting individuals with upper limb impairments.
• Traditional VR controllers can pose challenges for patients with limited hand function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate patient experience with VRR as an adjunct therapy for upper-limb rehabilitation.
• To assess the feasibility and user acceptance of a novel hand-tracking VRR game.

Main Methods:

• Twenty participants undergoing upper limb rehabilitation engaged in VRR tasks using a "smoothie bar" game.
• The VRR game utilized Oculus hand-tracking, eliminating the need for physical controllers.
• Participant experience was assessed post-task completion using a custom questionnaire.

Main Results:

• 95% of participants found the VRR tasks enjoyable and engaging.
• 75% of participants agreed that VRR tasks could be beneficial for their rehabilitation.
• High potential for hand-tracking VRR as an adjunct intervention was indicated.

Conclusions:

• Hand-tracking VRR offers a motivating and accessible rehabilitation tool for upper limb recovery.
• VRR games, particularly those using advanced tracking, are well-received by patients.
• This technology presents a promising avenue for augmenting conventional physical therapy regimens.