The rehabilitation gaming system is a virtual reality (VR) based training device that provides new prospects for the rehabilitation of patients suffering from motor disabilities after stroke or brain injury. The developed RGS training tool supports restoring motor functions of the upper limbs that is essential in a patient's every day life. Therapeutic approaches towards relearning of motor activity rely on brain plasticity that is maintained throughout life. This adaptive mechanism is based on a reorganisation of affected brain regions and leads to a neurological recovery of damaged motor areas. Recent studies suggest that regaining of motor functions strongly depend on the starting point and frequency of training sessions after brain lesion hence making access to rehabilitation units fundamental requirements for successful motor function relearning.

The VR training environment enables patients to perform rehabilitation at home and thereby supports supplemental long-term training in addition to conventional therapies. The VR gaming scenarios implemented in the RGS system feature a first person perspective of the upper limbs where the motion of a patient’s arms is correlated to the movement of virtual limbs on the computer screen. The user is prompted to perform various motional tasks on different levels of difficulty dependent on the patients’ motor dysfunction. The movement of arms is monitored via a camera based tracking system together with performance of hand flexion and extension with an interactive hand training device. Biosignals are additionally recorded throughout the training session to monitor brain activity and physiological conditions of practicing patients. A feedback of performance parameters guarantees optimal training settings and also assists to keep the motivation of users at a high level. The RGS will be connected to a medical information web platform that allows for continuous monitoring of gaming sessions of patients and helps physicians or therapists to remotely supervise the individual training improvements. The impact of the RGS system on the improvement of motor functions will be evaluated in a clinical trial using also physiological parameters.

The following partner institutions are working within the RGS project:

Particpant name

Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain

Heinrich Heine Universität, Germany

Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebro, Spain

Tyromotion, Austria

Hospital de la Esperanza, Spain

Guger Technologies OEG, Austria

TicSalut, Spain

For further information please visit www.iua.upf.edu/rgs/