The TRAVEE System for a Multimodal Neuromotor Rehabilitation

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This paper presented the assessment of cognitive load (as an effective real-time index of task difficulty) and the level of brain activation during an experiment in which eight visually impaired subjects performed two types of tasks while using the white cane and the Sound of Vision assistive device with three types of sensory input—audio, haptic, and multimodal (audio and haptic simultaneously). The first task was to identify object properties and the second to navigate and avoid obstacles in both the virtual environment and real-world settings. The results showed that the haptic stimuli were less intuitive than the audio ones and that the navigation with the Sound of Vision device increased cognitive load and working memory. Visual cortex asymmetry was lower in the case of multimodal stimulation than in the case of separate stimulation (audio or haptic). There was no correlation between visual cortical activity and the number of collisions during navigation, regardless of the type of navigation or sensory input. The visual cortex was activated when using the device, but only for the late-blind users. For all the subjects, the navigation with the Sound of Vision device induced a low negative valence, in contrast with the white cane navigation.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive and Affective Assessment of Navigation and Mobility Tasks for the Visually Impaired via Electroencephalography and Behavioral Signals

Lupu

Mitruț

Stan

et al. 2020

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“…As many technical solutions focus only on upper body rehabilitation, Microsoft Kinect comes as an alternative of assuring full-body tracking [ 36 ]. Studies show that Kinect-based VR neurorehabilitation can provide low-cost solutions that can help brain reorganization which stands as the basis of motor recovery [ 37 , 38 ]. The principle of most Kinect applications is based on mapping human motions on poses of the virtual avatar’s limbs, in a manner as accurate as possible [ 39 ], for instance when playing sports such as tennis or boxing [ 40 ].…”

Section: Ict Solutions For Neurological Disorders Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flexible Virtual Reality System for Neurorehabilitation and Quality of Life Improvement

Stănică

Moldoveanu

Portelli

et al. 2020

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As life expectancy is mostly increasing, the incidence of many neurological disorders is also constantly growing. For improving the physical functions affected by a neurological disorder, rehabilitation procedures are mandatory, and they must be performed regularly. Unfortunately, neurorehabilitation procedures have disadvantages in terms of costs, accessibility and a lack of therapists. This paper presents Immersive Neurorehabilitation Exercises Using Virtual Reality (INREX-VR), our innovative immersive neurorehabilitation system using virtual reality. The system is based on a thorough research methodology and is able to capture real-time user movements and evaluate joint mobility for both upper and lower limbs, record training sessions and save electromyography data. The use of the first-person perspective increases immersion, and the joint range of motion is calculated with the help of both the HTC Vive system and inverse kinematics principles applied on skeleton rigs. Tutorial exercises are demonstrated by a virtual therapist, as they were recorded with real-life physicians, and sessions can be monitored and configured through tele-medicine. Complex movements are practiced in gamified settings, encouraging self-improvement and competition. Finally, we proposed a training plan and preliminary tests which show promising results in terms of accuracy and user feedback. As future developments, we plan to improve the system’s accuracy and investigate a wireless alternative based on neural networks.

“…For example, the alpha waves (8–13 Hz) are related to states of relaxation, meditation, or mental rest [ 74 ]. The EEG measurements are usually based on contrasting the activations of fairly large regions of the brain [ 75 , 76 ]. Initial studies related frontal asymmetry to emotional valence, the left hemisphere is associated with positive emotions, and the right hemisphere with negative emotions.…”

Section: Biophysical Signalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating Biosignals Measurement in Virtual Reality Environments for Anxiety Detection

Petrescu

Mitruț

et al. 2020

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This paper proposes a protocol for the acquisition and processing of biophysical signals in virtual reality applications, particularly in phobia therapy experiments. This protocol aims to ensure that the measurement and processing phases are performed effectively, to obtain clean data that can be used to estimate the users’ anxiety levels. The protocol has been designed after analyzing the experimental data of seven subjects who have been exposed to heights in a virtual reality environment. The subjects’ level of anxiety has been estimated based on the real-time evaluation of a nonlinear function that has as parameters various features extracted from the biophysical signals. The highest classification accuracy was obtained using a combination of seven heart rate and electrodermal activity features in the time domain and frequency domain.