Poster: Virtual Reality Exergame for Upper Extremity Rehabilitation Using SmartWearable Sensors

In this work, we propose a creative VR therapy exergame with multi-dimensional reaching tasks for upper extremity rehabilitation. Our system tracks data from the upper extremities using VR hand controllers and a flexible carbon nanotube sensor positioned on the elbow. We conducted a preliminary study (n = 12, 7 F) to evaluate the exergame's therapeutic factors, including orientation (horizontal, vertical), configuration (flat, curved), and user experience. The results show a statistically significant difference in task completion time for the variable orientation, but no significance for the number of mistakes. For the resistance change generated from the carbon nanotube sleeve, the flat configuration in the vertical orientation significantly induced more elbow stretches than the other conditions. These results suggest that VR therapy can be customized to the patient without a change in the intensity and induced body stretch. Our proposed VR exergame has the potential to personalize upper extremity home-based therapy using multi-modal sensory data collection.