PATIENTS recovering from strokes, sustained muscle contractions and sports injuries could reduce their rehabilitation time by 30% using a virtual reality gaming platform.
Academics and engineering experts from the University of Strathclyde and the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), have teamed up with UK and European partners for the initiative, which is funded by the European Commission as part of Horizon 2020, which drives economic growth through research.
Known as PRIME-VR2, the two-year project will create a digital environment using virtual reality (VR) within rehab programmes. The technology aims to improve rehab speed and completion rates by making it more stimulating and will complement traditional methods, while easing the physical demands placed on occupational and physical therapists.
The digital platform allows medical staff to track patient progress using gaming data and provide ongoing support virtually and will help patients develop upper body motor skills to improve movement in their arms, wrists, hands, and fingers, as well as providing personalised activities depending on their cognitive and physical impairments.
Those with the neurological movement disorder dystonia, for instance, can practice pouring a glass of water in the virtual world without spilling a drop in reality.
Strathclyde and NMIS are supporting industrial partners, Loud1Design with the development of the virtual programme and a prototype bespoke video game controller for each patient. The project is coordinated by the University of Pisa and includes academic partners in Malta, Oulu and London, and industry partners from the tech and gaming world.
Andrew Wodehouse, senior lecturer at the Department of Design, Manufacturing and Engineering Management at the University of Strathclyde, and founder of the European Consortium, said: “The outcome of this project will make the long recovery process more engaging while permitting the patient’s performance to be recorded accurately, allowing specific and measurable goals to accelerate rehabilitation time.”
Kareema Hilton, manufacturing engineer at the NMIS, added: “We’re working closely with our colleagues in the University of Strathclyde and the wider consortium, bringing expertise from a variety of backgrounds to ensure that the virtual platform and physical controller are fully reflective of each patient’s requirements.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here