Effects of Self-Projection through Mixed Reality on Walking Posture in Environment with Constrained Limb Movement

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Rehabilitation Engineering

Background:

• Altered walking posture is linked to accidents and illnesses.
• Mixed-reality environments offer novel ways to study and modify gait.
• The self-projection method (SPM) provides real-time visual feedback of one's avatar.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effectiveness of the self-projection method (SPM) in improving walking posture.
• To analyze postural adjustments in simulated real-world tasks with constrained limb movements.
• To evaluate the role of implicit learning in gait stabilization via SPM.

Main Methods:

• Utilized mixed-reality goggles to display a real-time 3D avatar of the user's walking posture.
• Constrained upper- and lower-limb movements to simulate obstacle avoidance (SO task) and carrying objects (SC task).
• Recruited 10 healthy male participants to assess postural changes under SPM support.

Main Results:

• SPM support significantly reduced forward trunk tilt and its longitudinal/lateral movements.
• A notable correction in lateral sway was observed during the obstacle avoidance task.
• SPM decreased longitudinal trunk sway and forward tilt, particularly in the object-carrying task.

Conclusions:

• The self-projection method (SPM) effectively stabilizes walking posture through implicit learning.
• SPM demonstrates potential in reducing fall risk in environments with restricted limb mobility.
• This technology offers a promising approach for gait rehabilitation and safety enhancement.