New technologies for rehabilitation involving Augmented Reality (AR) as a complement to conventional therapy have appeared in recent years. An earlier study for shoulder rehabilitation using the AR NeuroR computer system showed improved clinical outcomes for stroke patients. This study aims to analyze a proposed protocol to measure possible changes in functional brain connectivity associated with the use of the NeuroR system in the context of shoulder motor rehabilitation of post-stroke subjects. A pilot study was conducted with a poststroke patient, using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI). RS-fMRI signals were acquired pre and post use of the NeuroR system (pre-test and post-test), integrated into the patient’s rehabilitation program. Functional connectivity analysis of RS-fMRI was performed using the motor area as seed. The maximum connectivity value in the pre-test occurred in the ipsilesional parietal region while the maximum in the post-test was located in the ipsilesional frontal region. It was observed that the regions strongly associated with motor activity had higher connectivity values at post-test compared to pre-test. The proposed protocol is suitable and safe for verifying if functional brain connectivity was changed after the rehabilitation program with NeuroR training, indicating a possible neuroplasticity effect. Tests with a larger number of patients are still necessary.

BACKGROUND: The importance of evaluating the functional capacity of patients with COPD is well known, and there is a wide range of tests described in the literature. The 6-min stationary walk test associated with virtual reality (STVR-6) was created in light of the current limitations of evaluation tests. It does not require a large physical space or sophisticated equipment, and it is not costly; furthermore, it can be performed by a single rater. The objective of this study was to evaluate intra-and inter-rater reproducibility and to verify the criterion validity of the STVR-6. METHODS: 50 subjects with COPD were evaluated over the course of 3 d. The execution order of the tests was randomized; the STVR-6 was performed over 2 d, and the 6-min walk test was performed in 1 d. The 6-min walk distance variables and number of steps in the STVR-6 were obtained with a gas analysis performed for both tests. RESULTS: Relative reproducibility was found for intraclass correlation coefficient values (0.57-0.94, P < .001) between the number of steps and the highest value of oxygen consumption during the test (V O 2 peak), intra-and inter-rater. In terms of absolute reproducibility, the standard error of measurement and minimum detectable difference values were verified. In the Bland-Altman analysis, the intra-and inter-rater mean difference values were 21 and 17 steps and 0.002 and 0.242 mL/min/kg, respectively. Pearson correlation values were 0.57-0.75 (P < .001) between the number of steps and V O 2 peak. CONCLUSIONS: STVR-6 had excellent intra-rater reproducibility and excellent to good inter-rater reproducibility, but the high values of error measures demonstrated that there is a learning effect and a need to perform at least 2 tests. In addition, there was high to moderate correlation between the STVR-6 and the 6-min walk test. Therefore, the STVR-6 proved to be reproducible and valid for evaluating the functional capacity of subjects with COPD.

RehabGesture represents a low-cost solution to measure the movement of the upper limbs, as well as to stimulate the process of teaching and learning in disciplines related to the study of human movement, such as kinesiology.

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