Characterizing the Effects of Adding Virtual and Augmented Reality in Robot-Assisted Training

Extended reality (XR) technology combines physical reality with computer synthetic virtuality to deliver immersive experience to users. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are two subdomains within XR with different immersion levels. Both of these have the potential to be combined with robot-assisted training protocols to maximize postural control improvement. In this study, we conducted a randomized control experiment with sixty-three healthy subjects to compare the effectiveness of robot-assisted posture training combined with VR or AR against robotic training alone. A robotic Trunk Support Trainer (TruST) was employed to deliver assistive force at the trunk as subjects moved beyond the stability limits during training. Our results showed that both VR and AR significantly enhanced the training outcomes of the TruST intervention. However, the VR group experienced higher simulator sickness compared to the AR group, suggesting that AR is better suited for sitting posture training in conjunction with TruST intervention. Our findings highlight the added value of XR to robot-assisted training and provide novel insights into the differences between AR and VR when integrated into a robotic training protocol. In addition, we developed a custom XR application that suited well for TruST intervention requirements. Our approach can be extended to other studies to develop novel XR-enhanced robotic training platforms.