Sofie Notelaers

Visualizing the third dimension in virtual training environments for neurologically impaired persons: beneficial or disruptive?

BackgroundMany contemporary systems for neurorehabilitation utilize 3D virtual environments (VEs) that allow for training patients’ hand or arm movements. In the current paper we comparatively test the effectiveness of two characteristics of VEs in rehabilitation training when utilizing a 3D haptic interaction device: Stereo Visualization (monoscopic vs stereoscopic image presentation) and Graphic Environment (2.5D vs 3D).MethodAn experimental study was conducted using a factorial within-subjects design. Patients (10 MS, 8 CVA) completed three tasks, each including a specific arm-movement along one of three directional axes (left-right, up-down and forward-backward).ResultsThe use of stereoscopy within a virtual training environment for neurorehabilitation of CVA and MS patients is most beneficial when the task itself requires movement in depth. Further, the 2.5D environment yields the highest efficiency and accuracy in terms of patients’ movements. These findings were, however, dependent on participants’ stereoscopic ability.ConclusionDespite the performance benefits of stereoscopy, our findings illustrate the non-triviality of choices of using stereoscopy, and the type of graphic environment implemented. These choices should be made with the task and target group, and even the individual patient in mind.

Watering the flowers: virtual haptic environments for training of forearm rotation in persons with central nervous deficits

Persons with central nervous deficits, such as MS and stroke patients, can benefit a lot from suitable training approaches that enhance their ability to perform activities in daily life. As performing rotations with the forearm (pro- and supination movements) is essential in many daily tasks, we use this as an example to illustrate our structured rehabilitation approach for the upper extremities. The results of the patient-centric design and development of the rehabilitation robotics system are illustrated, and several levels of interactive training exercises in virtual haptic environments are shown. Considerations regarding the system setup as well as hardware adjustments to the haptic device and peripheral equipment are described. Evaluations with patients and therapists demonstrate the importance of the patient-centric approach and reveal appreciation for the resulting interactive training system.

Data Management for Multimodal Rehabilitation Games

Rehabilitation games form a promising type of serious games. The goal is to provide the patients with a personalized training. In order to realize this, much information must be handled. This includes general information about the games and parameters regarding modalities, and specific information about the patients and their therapy sessions. Therapists must be able to specify the values for all parameters involved. However, different levels of these parameters should be grouped in a sensible manner in order not to overwhelm the therapists with too much and too detailed information. This paper discusses a system for the rehabilitation of Multiple Sclerosis patients and explains how the information can be managed by the therapists.

Facilitating robot-assisted training in MS patients with arm paresis: A procedure to individually determine gravity compensation

Gravity compensation (GC) of the arm is used to facilitate arm movements in conventional therapy as well as in robot-assisted rehabilitation of neurologically impaired persons. Positive effects of GC on Range of Motion (ROM) have been demonstrated in stroke. In Multiple Sclerosis (MS), research regarding this topic is lacking. Since an active participation of the patient is required for effective training, full support of the arm might not be advisable. The present study reports on the development of a procedure to measure actively the individual need for GC and to estimate the influence of GC on ROM during reaching, lifting and transporting in severely affected Persons with MS (PwMS). Ten PwMS were tested with the procedure for determination of GC. Maximal reaching movements were performed in a 3D space in three conditions: No support (NS), with GC by the HapticMaster (GC-HM) and with GC by the HapticMaster combined with a sling suspension system (GC-HMS). For the total sample, significant correlations were found between the amount of GC and clinical tests for upper limb function. In four subjects with severe arm dysfunction it was found that mean ROM is larger in the GC-HMS condition compared to the GC-HM condition, and in the GC-HM condition compared to the NS condition, suggesting positive effects of GC on active ROM in PwMS. Therefore, GC could have a positive effect on arm rehabilitation by enabling the PwMS to actively reach a larger ROM during training.

3DUI 2010 Contest Grand Prize Winners

The 2010 IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces ran the symposiums first 3DUI Grand Prize, a contest for innovative, practical solutions to classic 3DUI problems. The authors describe the rationale for the first contest and give an analysis of all submissions. Each categorys winners also discuss their solutions.

HeatMeUp: A 3DUI serious game to explore collaborative wayfinding

Wayfinding inside a virtual environment is a cognitive process during navigation. Normally the user inside the virtual environment has to rely on himself and different cues such as waypoints to improve his knowledge with regard to his surroundings. In this paper we will present our solution for the 3DUI Contest 2012: Heat-MeUP, a 3DUI serious game to explore collaborative alternatives, in which a partner is responsible for providing wayfinding cues. The game is set in a multi-storey building where several fires and gas leaks occur and a firefighter has to overcome several challenges, guided by a fire chief.

Toward Multi-disciplinary Model-Based (Re)Design of Sustainable User Interfaces

This paper reports on our experience in using the MuiCSer process framework for the redesign of the user interface for operating an industrial digital printing system. MuiCSer is created to support the user-centered interface design of new andlegacy systems by a multi-disciplinary team. The process framework is created to enhance increased flexibility, usability and sustainability of the designed user interfaces. Resulting user interfaces are decoupled from the application logic, but still help to maintain consistency with the available functionality even when this changes over time. This report focuses on the usage of the task model during the analysis of the current user interface, the creation of user interface prototypes at various fidelity levels and the still ongoing realization of a flexible user interface management system to support future changes of the deployed user interfaces.

Haptic linear paths for arm rehabilitation in MS patients

Force feedback in the context of a rehabilitation program may have its benefits. The generated forces can be used to assist, support or oppose the patients according to their personal needs and abilities. Using the Phantom haptic device, we conducted a pilot study focussing on the rehabilitation of the upper limbs in MS patients. Apart from the promising clinical results, we found that only a few haptic effects are commonly necessary. Among them is a ‘linear path’, a haptic effect that generates the necessary forces to follow a path defined by two or more points in space. In this paper we motivate why the current implementations in existing haptic APIs (such as H3D) are not completely suitable. We propose two possible alternative implementations based on our requirements: one using rounded polygons, another using cardinal splines. It will turn out that both solutions are equivalent, but depending on the application one of both will be more suitable.

Look mother, virtual puzzling without buttons!

Not many virtual 3D puzzle applications have been researched. We present a solution using tangible objects and a reach-in set-up. The user can solve a puzzle using natural and tangible interaction. To provide realistic interaction, the usage of buttons was avoided by design. In a user experiment the solution proved to be natural and intuitive.