Immersive virtual reality gaming has the potential to motivate individuals to perform intensive repetitive task-based therapy, and it can be combined with motion capture as a way to track therapy compliance and progress. This project explores the design and evaluation of an immersive virtual reality experience, titled “Project Star Catcher,” for those with weakness on one side of their upper bodies. Our game mechanics were adapted from constraint-induced movement therapy, an established therapy method where users are asked to use the weaker arm by physically binding the stronger arm. This adaptation innovates from physical to psychological binding by providing a dynamic reward system that promotes the use of the weaker arm. Players are rewarded by scoring points when performing a rehabilitative motion to catch falling stars in an immersive, cosmic virtual reality. Initial results indicate that immersive games like PSC provide a powerful medium for physical exercise with an increase of over 40% exercise compliance for adults of mixed ability. We are performing futher studies for a systematic comparision of VR devices with PSC, as well as applying affective computing techniques to understand user emotional response. This modular system enacts a behavioral playground that is flexible from studying VR for Therapy, physical task-based analysis, and runtime adaptive stimuli.
Here is a video overview of the pilot PSC goals:
Researchers: Aviv Elor, Evanjelin Mahmoodi, Nico Hawthorne, Michael Powell (DANSER Labs), Mircea Teodorescu (DANSER Labs), Sri Kurniawan