Rehabilitation for post-stroke patients in collaboration with the University of South Wales in 2022

‍What was the purpose of the study?: Some research studies suggested that virtual reality (VR) technology could aid post-stroke patients in recovering muscle function. In light of this, the goal of this study was to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of using VR technology to improve finger function in stroke survivors compared to another intervention method. This study was then extended into 2023 to investigate the effects of extended reality applications in mirror therapy.

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Context: Post-stroke rehabilitation often includes at-home physical therapy to improve hand motor function. However, traditional methods can be challenging for patients to adhere to and for therapists to monitor progress accurately.

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TG0’s role in the study: TG0 provided the VR controller etee. Its patented finger-tracking solution uses state-of-the-art algorithms to detect individual finger movement and force. It also designed the hardware system for the Virtual Reality Mirror Therapy (VRMT) to gamify the experience and add levels of difficulty to the rehabilitation exercises.

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Result and conclusions: The use of etee in gamified rehabilitation has already increased the patients’ adherence to the routine, and provided promising results in the improvement of the affected hand’s skills. Being able to measure tiny changes in finger movement and pressure also allowed TG0 to implement visual amplification of goal-oriented movements. This would mean that any small effort from the patients could be amplified into a visual reward, which helps maintain a patient’s motivation during their rehabilitation journey. The study continues.

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Additional reading: Virtual Reality Mirror Therapy (VRMT) to Improve Finger Dexterity in Post-stroke Survivors: A Preliminary Feasibility Study of a Home-based Intervention