Upper Extremity Function Assessment Using a Glove Orthosis and Virtual Reality System.

Hand motor control deficits following stroke can diminish the ability of patients to participate in daily activities. This study investigated the criterion validity of upper extremity (UE) performance measures automatically derived from sensor data during manual practice of simulated instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) within a virtual environment. A commercial glove orthosis was specially instrumented with motion tracking sensors to enable patients to interact, through functional UE movements, with a computer-generated virtual world using the SaeboVR software system. Fifteen stroke patients completed four virtual IADL practice sessions, as well as a battery of gold-standard assessments of UE motor and hand function. Statistical analysis using the nonparametric Spearman rank correlation reveals high and significant correlation between virtual world-derived measures and the gold-standard assessments. The results provide evidence that performance measures generated during manual interactions with a virtual environment can provide a valid indicator of UE motor status.

Virtual Activities of Daily Living for Recovery of Upper Extremity Motor Function.

A study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of virtual activities of daily living (ADL) practice using the SaeboVR software system for the recovery of upper extremity (UE) motor function following stroke. The system employs Kinect sensor-based tracking to translate human UE motion into the anatomical pose of the arm of the patient's avatar within a virtual environment, creating a virtual presence within a simulated task space. Patients gain mastery of 12 different integrated activities while traversing a metaphorical "road to recovery" that includes thematically linked levels and therapist-selected difficulty settings. Clinical trials were conducted under the study named Virtual Occupational Therapy Application. A total of 15 chronic phase stroke survivors completed a protocol involving three sessions per week over eight weeks, during which they engaged in repetitive task practice through performance of the virtual ADLs. Results show a clinically important improvement and statistically significant difference in Fugl-Meyer UE assessment scores in the study population of chronic stroke survivors over the eight-week interventional period compared with a non-interventional control period of equivalent duration. Statistically significant and clinically important improvements are also found in the wolf motor function test scores. These results provide new evidence for the use of virtual ADL practice as a tool for UE therapy for stroke patients. Limitations of the study include non-blinded assessments and the possibility of selection and/or attrition bias.