Leap Motion Controller Video Game-Based Therapy for Upper Extremity Motor Recovery in Patients with Central Nervous System Diseases. A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Leap Motion Controller (LMC) is a virtual reality device that can be used in the rehabilitation of central nervous system disease (CNSD) motor impairments. This review aimed to evaluate the effect of video game-based therapy with LMC on the recovery of upper extremity (UE) motor function in patients with CNSD. A systematic review with meta-analysis was performed in PubMed Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, and PEDro. We included five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of patients with CNSD in which LMC was used as experimental therapy compared to conventional therapy (CT) to restore UE motor function. Pooled effects were estimated with Cohen’s standardized mean difference (SMD) and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI). At first, in patients with stroke, LMC showed low-quality evidence of a large effect on UE mobility (SMD = 0.96; 95% CI = 0.47, 1.45). In combination with CT, LMC showed very low-quality evidence of a large effect on UE mobility (SMD = 1.34; 95% CI = 0.49, 2.19) and the UE mobility-oriented task (SMD = 1.26; 95% CI = 0.42, 2.10). Second, in patients with non-acute CNSD (cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease), LMC showed low-quality evidence of a medium effect on grip strength (GS) (SMD = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.03, 0.90) and on gross motor dexterity (GMD) (SMD = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.28, 1.17) in the most affected UE. In combination with CT, LMC showed very low-quality evidence of a high effect in the most affected UE on GMD (SMD = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.06, 1.15) and fine motor dexterity (FMD) (SMD = 0.82; 95% CI = 0.07, 1.57). In stroke, LMC improved UE mobility and UE mobility-oriented tasks, and in non-acute CNSD, LMC improved the GS and GMD of the most affected UE and FMD when it was used with CT.

Virtual Reality-Based Therapy Improves Fatigue, Impact, and Quality of Life in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis. A Systematic Review with a Meta-Analysis

“…In recent years, some studies have assessed the efficacy of different therapies to reduce the impact of MS and its muscle fatigue symptoms, as well as to increase the QoL of MS patients [60,61]. VR-based intervention is a novel therapy that is being used more in the treatment of neurological diseases [18,62], including MS. To date, a number of published reviews have assessed the effect of VR-based intervention in PwMS regarding balance, gait [29,30], and upper extremity recovery [31]. In addition, a recent review [63], which included a small number of studies, evaluated the effect of VR-based intervention on fatigue and QoL.…”

“…The following data were extracted: (1) authorship, publication date, study design, country, and funding received; (2) data related to participants (number of PwMS, age and sex); (3) experimental intervention characteristics (VR therapy length in weeks, number of sessions per week, and session time in minutes); (4) type of control intervention; (5) quantitative data obtained at the post-therapy evaluation (mean and standard deviation); and (6) follow-up time (immediate or long-term). Regarding quantitative data, when a study did not provide standard deviation, we estimated this measure using standard error, interquartile range, or range, using standardized transformations according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions [33] and previous studies [18].…”

“…In addition to pharmacological treatments and non-pharmacological interventions such as conventional therapy (CT), exercise, or complementary therapies traditionally used in PwMS, in the last decade, the advance in digital technologies has boosted the use of new tools such as smartphones, websites, wearables, and virtual reality (VR) devices in neurorehabilitation protocols. VR is a novel technology whose therapeutic and rehabilitative effect is being tested for different CNS diseases [18,19], as well as being used in the practical training of healthcare students [20]. Weiss has defined VR as the "use of interactive simulations created with computer hardware and software to present users with opportunities to engage in environments that appear and feel similar to real world objects and events" [21].…”

Research on Discrete Semantics in Continuous Hand Joint Movement Based on Perception and Expression

“…Leap Motion was used as the gesture capture device for Experiment 4. As shown in Figure 4 , Leap Motion is the most widely used non-contact hand gesture capture sensor [ 42 , 43 , 44 ], which can provide the position and motion data of each joint of the hand in desktop mode or VR mode. Based on these data, information such as the bending angle of each joint and the abduction angle of the fingers can be further obtained and used to gesture recognition and gesture interaction.…”

An Innovative Approach for Online Neuroanatomy and Neurorrehabilitation Teaching Based on 3D Virtual Anatomical Models Using Leap Motion Controller During COVID-19 Pandemic

“…This device includes three infrared sensors and two cameras for hand recognition ( Fonk et al, 2021 ). LMC presents some advantages such as its small size, it is easy to use and install and can be used with different applications for physical rehabilitation ( Placidi et al, 2018 ; Fernández-González et al, 2019 ; Cortés-Pérez et al, 2021 ; de los Reyes-Guzmán et al, 2021 ). Regarding the employment of LMC in teaching LMC allows the interaction of the user’s hands in a three-dimensional environment through different applications ( Yang et al, 2020 ), including videogames.…”